# Rautavaara



## Elsa52

Anyone else dig this guy?

I've been listening to the two boxed sets on Ondine and I'm totally intrigued. The "Bird" concerto, for example, is quite beautiful. The birds on tape are used sparingly enough that the word "concerto" might be a stretch. The symphonies -- including the famous 7th -- are all delightful, and full of surprises, esp. on repeat listenings.

POST 4


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## Josquin13

I'm fascinated by Scandinavian composers (an obsession that began with the music of Jean Sibelius), and Einojuhani Rautavaara is one of the contemporary Finnish composers whose music I've explored and continue to listen to. By the way, he did compose a number of concertos, and they're excellent, if you don't know them: For example, his Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 "Gift of Dreams" (which Vladimir Ashkenazy commissioned & recorded), and the Violin Concerto, which several top violinists have played in concert and recorded (a good sign), beginning with the American violinist Elmar Oliviera, who commissioned and premiered the work. Rautavaara's chamber music is worth getting to know, too, & especially his String Quintet, "Les Cieux Inconnues", or "Unknown Heavens":

Here are some recommended recordings, in addition to the symphonies, which you (& others) might enjoy getting to know, if you've not heard this music:

--String Quintet, "Unknown Heavens", & two String Quartets: 




--Violin Concerto: 




--Piano Concerto No. 2:













--Piano Concerto No. 3 "Gift of Dreams": 




--The American violinist Anne Akiko Meyers commissioned and recorded Rautavaara's 2015 Fantasia (for violin and orchestra), which turned out to be his final work:





https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...fantasia-rautavaara-szymanowski-ravel#reviews


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