Ondine’s devotion to the music of Einojuhani Rautavaara
has been of considerable standing and of great depth. Here we
have a disc of highlights of pieces from their catalogue. The
only complete works are Cantus arcticus and Apotheosis,
though admirers of the composer will know that whilst this last
named is a separate work, and one that can be performed in isolation
with minor adaptations, it also forms part of the Sixth Symphony.
I’m sure that this neatly selected series of works will
whet the appetite of those yet to experience Rautavaara’s
music. I think it’s right that if you’re going to
present a compact work by him in toto it should be Cantus
arcticus, which is one of his most popular. This Concerto
for Birds and Orchestra, a beautiful title if ever there was
one, evinces all his most personal and vital qualities - string
wash of great, indeed magnetic, power and concentration, the
quality of melancholy so often encountered in his music, and
an accumulation of sound that reaches, at moments, almost a
frenzy. For all his reflective qualities he has never been a
dormant composer; rather he has managed to unleash moments of
great power and energy that seem to have aggregated from the
earlier material. Such, certainly, is the trajectory of this
work, never for a moment gimmicky, always beautiful and, fortunately,
the electronic song is expertly balanced in this recording.
The other works offer interesting perspectives too. The second
movement of the Clarinet Concerto is played by the dedicatee
Richard Stoltzman, who worked closely with the composer during
its composition. Its lyric outpouring is as addictive as the
third movement of Autumn Gardens, a nature portrait of
powerful verdancy. The first part of Manhattan Trilogy
is called Daydreams and its alternation of percussive
power and refined lyricism is effectively realised, whereas
the third movement of the Third Piano Concerto, called Gift
of Dreams, is restless, passionate, bright edged and enshrines
some truly portentous moments. Vladimir Ashkenazy plays and
directs. The final two pieces are from symphonic works; Apotheosis
is rapt and beautiful, whilst the segment from the Sixth Symphony
is calm, dreamlike, reflective.
The majority of performances are by the Helsinki Philharmonic
Orchestra under Leif Segerstam. All the performances are special
and I hope they will lead appreciative and curious readers to
the relevant Ondine box sets that house the symphonies
and concertos.
Jonathan Woolf
Richard Stoltzman (clarinet) ²: Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
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