Album

This four-disc set collects Ondine's recordings of the eight symphonies of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara. The symphonies themselves fall into two groups. The First through Fourth were written from 1955 through 1962 and trace the young composer's growth from neo-classical modernism through neo-expressionism, post-romanticism, and flat-out serialism, while the Fifth through Eighth were written from 1986 though 1999 and are more stylistic homogenous and more all-stops-out ecstatic. The performances range from the merely utilitarian First with Mikko Franck leading the National Orchestra of Belgium through the more acceptable Second through Sixth with Max Pommer directing the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra to the altogether magnificent Seventh and Eighth with Leif Segerstam heading up the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. For a taste of the journeyman composer, try the sweeping, searing Third Symphony. But for a taste of Rautavaara at his best, try the Seventh "Angel of Light" Symphony that fairly radiates incandescent excitement in its towering waves of sound. Throughout, Ondine's digital sound is clear and deep, though the later recordings are clearer and deeper than the earlier recordings.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 4
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.1 (second revision) Work Recorded 2005 27:31 Mikko Franck Conductor, Belgian National Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Andante	15:44			$2.49
2	2.Poetico	7:41			$1.49
3	3.Allegro	4:06			$0.99
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.2 ('Sinfonia intima') Work Recorded 1989 21:13 Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Max Pommer Conductor
4	1.Quasi grave	9:52			$1.49
5	2.Vivace	2:37			$0.99
6	3.Largo	5:56			$0.99
7	4.Presto	2:48			$0.99
CD 2 of 4
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.3, Op.20 Work Recorded 1989 32:08 Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Max Pommer Conductor
1	1.Langsam, breit, ruhig	12:18			$1.99
2	2.Langsam, doch nicht schleppend	6:29			$0.99
3	3.Sehr schnell	6:01			$0.99
4	4.Bewegt	7:20			$1.49
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.4 ('Arabescata') Work Recorded 1989-1990 16:24 Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Max Pommer Conductor
5	Arabescata 1	3:07			$0.99
6	Arabescata 2: Quadratus - Zigzag - Figurae - Dedicatio - Rotatus	5:00			$0.99
7	Arabescata 3	2:58			$0.99
8	Arabescata 4	5:19			$0.99
CD 3 of 4
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.5 Work Recorded 1989-1990 Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Max Pommer Conductor
1	Symphony No.5	31:32			$4.99
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.6 ('Vincentiana'), for orchestra and synthesizer Work Recorded 1993 41:46 Max Pommer Conductor, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
2	1.Starry Night	19:24			$3.49
3	2.The Crows	6:10			$0.99
4	3.Saint-Rémy	7:50			$1.49
5	4.Apotheosis	8:22			$1.49
CD 4 of 4
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.7 ('Angel of Light') Work Recorded 1995 37:47 Leif Segerstam Conductor, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Tranquillo	12:01			$1.99
2	2.Molto allegro	5:53			$0.99
3	3.Come un sogno	10:13			$1.99
4	4.Pesante	9:40			$1.49
Einojuhani Rautavaara Composer Symphony No.8 ('The Journey') Work Recorded 2001 29:11 Leif Segerstam Conductor, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
5	1.Adagio assai	11:30			$1.99
6	2.Feroce	3:04			$0.99
7	3.Tranquillo	6:00			$0.99
8	4.Con grandezza	8:37			$1.49