Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928- )
Einojuhani
Rautavaara is one of the most colourful and diverse figures in Finnish
music. He is an artist of exceptionally broad scope, at once Romantic
and intellectual, mysticist and constructivist. He has gone through a
great many stages in his stylistic development, yet he has combined
different stylistic elements in post-modernist fashion within
individual works. Having graduated from Helsinki University in 1952, he
studied at the Sibelius Academy with Aarre Merikanto and, after winning
a Koussevitzky Foundation fellowship in 1955, with Vincent Persichetti
at the Juilliard School, as well as with Aaron Copland and Roger
Sessions at Tanglewood. He furthered his studies in Ascona with
Vladimir Vogel and in Cologne with Rudolf Petzold. A lecturer at the
Sibelius Academy from 1966 to 1971, he was then appointed to the state
position of Professor in Arts. Since 1990 he has devoted himself
exclusively to composition, his music having received numerous awards
and been featured on many recordings. Rautavaara’s early pieces,
typified by the prize-winning A Requiem in Our Time (1953), drew upon
the Nordic classicism of Sibelius and Nielsen, as well as the
influences of Bartók, Shostakovich and folk-music. His Fourth Symphony
(1962) was among the first Finnish works to employ serial techniques,
while the later widening of his stylistic range gave rise, in 1972, to
two of his most enduring works, Vigilia, drawing on Orthodox liturgical
chant, and Cantus Arcticus (Naxos 8.554147), employing taped birdsong
alongside modal and aleatoric (chance-derived) elements. A greater
tonal orientation is evident in his more recent music, such as the
Symphonies Nos. 5 to 8 (No. 7 on Naxos 8.555814) and operas Thomas
(1985), Vincent (1987) and Aleksis Kivi (1997). Meanwhile, the growing
recognition accorded his music can be gauged from the international
commissions he has received over the last decade.- Naxos Records
COMPOSITIONS Rautavaara Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre
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WORKS BY GENRE Rautavaara Links ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Dramatic/Theater
Kaivos (The Mine), opera in 3 acts (1957-60; rev. 1962) [libretto: Rautavaara]
Kiusaukset (The Temptations), allegorical ballet (1969; fp. 1973)
Apollo ja Marsyas (Apollo and Marsyas), comic opera, 3 acts, (1970) [lib: Raut., after B.V. Wall] [orig. title Apollo contra Marsyas]
Runo 42: "Samrnon ryosto" (Canto 42: 'The Rape of the Sampo'), choral opera (1974; rev. 1981) [lib: Rautavaara, after Kalevala]
Marjatta matala neiti (Marjatta the Lowly Maid), mystery play (1975) [libretto: Rautavaara, after Kalevala]
Thomas, opera in 3 acts (1982-85) [libretto: Rautavaara]
Vincent, opera in 3 acts (1986-87) [libretto: Rautavaara]
Auringon talo (The House of the Sun), tragedia buffa in 2 acts (1990) [libretto: Rautavaara]
Tietajien lahja (The Gift of the Magi), Christmas fable, 1993-95) [libretto: Rautavaara, after O. Henry]
Aleksis Kivi, opera in 3 acts (1995-96) [libretto: Rautavaara]
Orchestra
Sym no.l, 1956, rev. 1988
Sym no.2,1957, rev. 1984
Sym no.3,1961
Sym no.4 'Arabescata', 1963
Sym no.5,1985
Sym no.6 'Vincentiana', 1992
Sym no.7 'Angel of Light', 1994
Sym no.8 'The Journey', 1999
Str: Suite, 1952
Divertimento, 1953
Canto 1, 1972
Canto HI 'A Portrait of the Artist at a Certain Moment', 1972
Suomalainen myytti [A Finnish Myth], 1977
Hommage a Zoltan Kodaly, 1982
Hommage a Ferenc Liszt, 1989
Canto IV, 1992
A Requiem in Our Time, brass, perc, 1953
Praevariata, 1957
Modificata, 1957-8
Anadyomene, 1968
Sotilasmessu [A Soldier's Mass], 1968
Saannollisia yksikkojaksoja puolissaanollisessa tilanteessa [Regular Sets of Elements in a Semi- Regular Situation], 1971
Cantus arcticus (Cone, for Birds and Orch), 1972
Fl Cone 'Dances with the Winds', 1973
Angels and Visitations, 1978
Serenade in Brass, brass, perc, 1982
Lintukoto (Isle of Bliss), 1995
Autumn Gardens, 1999
Band
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Cello Concerto (1968
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1969
Dithyrambos, violin and orchestra (1970
Flute Concerto (1973
Balladi, harp and, string orchestra (1973; rev. 1980) [arr. hp, str qnt, 1973]
Annunciations, organ and winds (1976
Violin Concerto (1977
Angel of Dusk, double bass and orchestra (1980) [arr. db, 2 pf, perc, 1993]
Piano Concerto No. 2 (1989
Piano Concerto No. 3 (1999
Chorus w/Orchestra
[Independence Cant.] (P. Haavikko and others), S, B, spkr, mixed chorus, orch, 1967
True and False Unicorn (J. Broughton), 3 spkrs, chbr chorus, ens, tape, 1971
Lapsimessu [Children's Mass], children's chorus, str, 1973
Parantaja [The Healer] (Rautavaara and others), spkr, mixed chorus, orch, 1981
Katso, minun kansani on puu [Behold, my People are a Tree] (Rautavaara), mixed chorus, orch, 1991-2
Viimeisella rajalla [On the Last Frontier] (Rautavaara, after E.A. Poe), mixed chorus, orch, 1998
Choral
Mixed chorus: Lu'ut [The Sayings] (Kalevala), 1965; Vigilia,
ehtoopalvelus [Vigil, Night Watch] (Orthodox liturgy), solo w ,
mixed chorus, 1971, concert version 1996; Vigilia, aamupalvelus
[Vigil, Morning Watch] (Orthodox liturgy), solo w , mixed chorus,
1972, concert version 1996; Kainuu (cant., Rautavaara and
others), spkr, mixed chorus, perc, 1975; Odotus [Waiting]
(Rautavaara, Bible), spkr, mixed chorus, org, 1978; Nirvana
Dharma (R.D. Laing), S, mixed chorus, fl, 1979; Mag, solo w ,
mixed chorus, 1979; Katedralen [The Cathedral] (E. Sodergran),
solo w , mixed chorus, 1983; Cancion de nuestro tiempo (F.
Garcia Lorca), 1993; Die erste Elegie (R.M. Rilke), 1993; many
smaller works
Male chorus: Laulaja [The Singer] (Kalevala), 1956; 2 Preludes (T.S.
Eliot), 1956, rev. 1967; Ave Maria, 1957; Elaman kirja [A Book of
Life] (Rilke and others), 11 songs, solo w , male chorus, 1972;
Hammarskjold-fragment (D. Hammarskjold), 1975; 4 serehadia
(trad., C. Baudelaire, S. George), 1978; Lehdet lehtia [Foliage
Leaves] (P. Haavikko), 1979; Legenda (E. Leino), 1985; several
smaller works
Other choral: Ludus verbalis (Rautavaara), spoken chorus, 1957;
Praktisch Deutsch (Get. phrase-book), spoken chorus, 1969;
Wenn sich die Welt auftut (L. Nunmi), female chorus, 1996;
works for children's chorus, unison chorus
Chamber
Str Qt no.l, 1952
2 Preludes and Fugues, vc, pf, 1955, no.2 arr. str orch, 1986
Str Qt no.2,1958
Wind Octet, 1962
Ob Qt, ob, sir trio, 1964
Str Qt no.3,1965
Sonata, bn, pf, 1965, rev. 1968
Sonetto, cl, pf, 1969
Ugrilainen dialoghi, vn, vc, 1973
Str Qt no.4,1975
Sonata, fl, gui, 1975
Music for Upright Pf and Amp Vc, 1976
Notturno, fl, str qt, 1981
Playgrounds for Angels, 4 tpt, 4 trbn, hn, tuba, 1981
Sonata, vc, pf, 1991
Nottumo e Danza, vn, pf, 1993 [Notturno orchd as 3rd movt of Sym. no.7]
Str Qnt 'Unknown Heavens', 1997
Electropus, 2 wind, pf, perc, 1977 [collab J. Sermila, H. Rechberger and T. Ferchen]
Instrument and Piano
Solo Instrument
7 Preludes, pf, 1957
Ta Tou Theou, org, 1967
Laudatio trinitatis, org, 1969
Sonata, vc, 1969
Toccata, org, 1971
Varietude, vn, 1974
Tarantara, tpt, 1976
Serenades of the Unicorn, gui, 1977
Monologues of the Unicorn, gui, 1980
Piano
3 symmetrista preludia [3 Symmetrical Preludes], 1950
Pelimannit [The Fiddlers], suite, 1952, arr. accdn, 1994
Ikonit [Icons], suite, 1955
7 Preludes, 1957
Etydit [Etudes], 1969
2 sonatas, 1969,1970
Ces bons soirs de septembre, 1976
Music for Upright Pf, 1976
Second Music for Upright Pf, 1976
Vocal
for solo voice and piano unless otherwise stated
Song cycles: 3 Sonnets of Shakespeare, 1951
Pyhia paivia [Sacred Feasts] (A. Hellaakoski, K. Lounasheimo), 1953
5 Sonette an Orpheus (Rilke), 1954, orchd 1959
Die Liebenden (Rilke), 1958, arr. high v, str, 1959, arr. S, orch, 1964
Guds vag (B. Setterlind), 1964
October (Hellaakoski), 1972
Matka [The Journey] (Rautavaara), 1977
Lyckokatt [Lucky Cat] (E. Sodetgran), 1982-7, arr. female chorus, 1993, as "I de stora skogarna" [In the Big Forest]
5 single songs
Incidental/Film
Kaivos, TV movie score (1963)
Hiilivalkea [Coal Fire], film score [children's chorus and electronics (1976)
Sources of Finnish Music, documentary film score (1978)
L'afrique, c'est loin, TV movie score (1982)
The Gift of the Magi, TV movie score (1997)
Electronic/Electroacoustic
Number 1, tape, 1980
Number 2, tape, 1980
Heureka Music 1-2, tape, 1989
RAUTAVAARA LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Finnish Music Godfather Up for a Grammy (Wif Stenger, This is Finland)
Composer's website (at Finnish Music Information Centre) . . . contact Einojuhani Rautavaara: here
Rautavaara @ Wikipedia
Rautavaara @ Answers.com
Rautavaara @ Audiophile Audition (via Google Advanced Search)
Rautavaara @ Boosey & Hawkes
Rautavaara @ Classic Cat
Rautavaara @ Classical Archives
Rautavaara @ Classical Composers Database
Rautavaara @ Classical Net
Rautavaara @ ClassicsToday
Rautavaara @ composition:today
Rautavaara @ Facebook
Rautavaara @ Fennica Gehrman
Rautavaara @ Finnish Music Information Centre (FIMIC)
Rautavaara @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Rautavaara @ InstantEncore
Rautavaara @ IRCAM
Rautavaara @ Karadar Classical Music/ find via / http://www.google.com/advanced_search
Rautavaara @ Klassika/ http://www.klassika.info / http://www.google.com/advanced_search
Rautavaara @ MusicWeb International
Rautavaara @ MySpaceMusic
Rautavaara @ Naxos
Rautavaara @ The New York Times
Rautavaara @ NPRmusic
Rautavaara @ Ondine Records
Rautavaara @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
http://www.musicsage.org
Publisher
Rautavaara @ Boosey & Hawkes
Rautavaara @ Breitkopf & Hartel
Rautavaara @ Fennica Gehrman
Rautavaara @ Fazer
Rautavaara @ G. Schirmer
Rautavaara @ Suomen Laulajien ja Soittajien Liitto
Streaming Audio
Rautavaara @ Classical Archives
Rautavaara @ last.fm
Rautavaara @ MySpaceMusic
Rautavaara @ NPRmusic
Rautavaara @ Rhapsody.com
Rautavaara @ SoundCloud
Recordings
Rautavaara @ Amazon.com
Rautavaara @ ArkivMusic
Rautavaara @ CD Universe
Rautavaara @ ClassicsOnline
Rautavaara @ Discogs
Rautavaara @ itunes
Rautavaara @ Naxos
Rautavaara @ Ondine Records
Video
Rautavaara @ YouTube
Rautavaara @ Google Video
Rautavaara @ Vimeo (via Google Advanced Search)
Composer on Composer: On Composing (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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