Rautavaara, Einojuhani (actually, Eino Juhani)

Rautavaara, Einojuhani (actually, Eino Juhani ), eminent Finnish composer and pedagogue; b. Helsinki, Oct. 9, 1928. He learned to play the piano and pursued his education at the Univ. of Helsinki (M.A., 1953). He also studied composition with Merikanto at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (1951–53; diploma, 1957). After training in Vienna (1955), he went to the U.S. on a Koussevitzky Foundation grant and studied composition with Persichetti at the Juilliard School of Music in N.Y. (1955–56) and at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood with Sessions (summer, 1955) and Copland (summer, 1956). Following further studies with Vogel in Ascona (1957), he completed his training with Petzold at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik (1958). He was a non tenured teacher at the Sibelius Academy from 1957 to 1959, and then was music archivist of the Helsinki Phil, from 1959 to 1961. In 1965–66 he was rector of the Käpylä Music Inst. In 1966 he joined the faculty of the Sibelius Academy, where he served as prof. of composition from 1976 to 1990. He also held the Finnish government appointment of Artist Prof. from 1971 to 1976. In 1965 he was awarded the Arnold Bax Composition Medal and the Wihuri Foundation Sibelius Prize. He received the Pro Finlandia Medal in 1968 and was made a Commander in 1985 of the Order of the Lion of Finland. In 1975 he was made a member of the Royal Academy of Music of Sweden in Stockholm. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Univ. of Oulu and received the Finnish Government Music Award in 1985. In 1997 he was honored with the Finland Prize. His autobiography, Omakuva (Self-Portrait), was publ. in 1989. Until the early 1970s Rautavaara’s compositions were marked by a stylistic diversity in which serial techniques played a major role. He then embarked upon a course that led to a remarkable synthesis of tonality and dodecaphony with the tones coming from a row while the harmony remains tonal.

Works

DRAMATIC : Opera : Kaivos (The Mine; 1957–58; rev. version, Finnish TV, April 10, 1963); Apollo contra Marsyas, comic opera-musical (1970; Helsinki, Aug. 30, 1973); Runo 42, “Sammon ryöstö”; (The Myth of Sampo), choral opera (1974; rev. 1981; Helsinki, April 8, 1983); Thomas (1984–85; Joensuu, June 21, 1985); Vincent (1986–87; Helsinki, May 17, 1990); Auringon talo (The House of the Sun), chamber opera (1990; Lappeenranta, April 25, 1991); Tietäjien lahja (The Gift of the Maji), chamber opera (1993–94; Finnish TV, Dec. 23, 1996); Aleksis kivi (1995–96; Savonlinna, July 8, 1997). Mystery Play : Marjatta matala neiti (Marjatta, the Lowly Maiden; 1975; Espoo, Sept. 3, 1977). Ballet : Kiusaukset (The Temptations; 1969; Helsinki, Feb. 8, 1973). ORCH.: Suite for Strings (1952; based on the String Quartet No. 1); Pelimannit (The Fiddlers) for Strings (1952; Orch.estrated 1972; Helsinki, Nov. II, 1973); Divertimento for Strings (1953); A Requiem in Our Time (1953; Cincinnati, May 10, 1954); Epitaph for Bela Bartók for Strings (1955; rev. 1986; Helsinki, July 27, 1987); 8 syms.: No. 1 (1956; Helsinki, Jan. 22, 1957; rev. 1988; Helsinki, Aug. 24, 1990), No. 2 (Helsinki, Oct. 11, 1957; rev. 1984; Helsinki, Feb. 16, 1985), No. 3 (1961; Helsinki, April 10, 1962), No. 4, Arabescata (Helsinki, Feb. 26, 1963), No. 5 (1985–86; Helsinki, May 14, 1986), No. 6, Vincentiana (Helsinki, Oct. 29, 1992), No. 7, Angel of light (1994; Bloomington, Ind., April 23, 1995), and No. 8, The Journey (1999; Philadelphia, April 27, 2000); Praevariata (1957; Strasbourg, June 1958); Modificata (1957; Helsinki, April 25, 1958); Canto I (1960; Helsinki, March 7, 1967), II (1960; Helsinki, Oct. 27, 1961), III: A Portrait of the Artist at a Certain Moment Gyväskylä, June 27, 1972), and IV (1992; Kokkola, Oct. 9, 1993) for Strings; Helsinki Fanfare (Helsinki, June 12, 1967; rev. version, Helsinki, April 6, 1987); Lahti Fanfare (1967; Lahti, Nov. 1, 1968); Anadiomène (Helsinki, May 30, 1968); Cello Concerto (1968; Helsinki, Feb. 26, 1969); A Soldier’s Mass (Helsinki, Nov. 20, 1968); 3 piano concertos: No. 1 (1969; Helsinki, May 29, 1970), No. 2 (Munich, Oct. 19, 1989), and No. 3, Gift of Dreams (1998; Tampere, Aug. 18, 1999); Dithyrambus for Violin and Orch. (1970); Helsinki Dancing (Helsinki, Dec. 5, 1971); Säännöllisiä Yksikköjaksoja Puolisäännöllisessä Tilanteessa (Regular Sets of Elements in a Semi-regular Situation; 1971; Helsinki, April 19, 1972); Cantus Arctkus, concerto for Birds and Orch. (Oulu, Oct. 18, 1972); Dances with the Winds, flute concerto (1973; Stockholm, May 4, 1974); Ballad for Harp and Strings (1973; Helsinki, Oct. 19, 1976; rev. version, Helsinki, May 19, 1981); Annunciations, concerto for Organ and Symphonic Wind Orch. (1976; Stockholm, Sept. 13, 1977); Violin Concerto (Helsinki, Aug. 23, 1977); Suomalainen myytti (A Finnish Myth) for Strings (1977; Jyväskylä, April 29, 1978); Angels and Visitations (Helsinki, Nov. 22, 1978); Fanfare for the Lahti World Skiing Championships 1978 (1978); Pohjalainen Polska (Ostrobothnian Polka; Vaasa, April 11, 1980; rev. version for Strings, Kokkola, Oct. 9, 1993); Angel of Dusk, double bass concerto (1980; Helsinki, May 6, 1981); Hommage à Zoltán Kodály for Strings (Helsinki, Dec. 16, 1982); Hommage à Ferenc Liszt for Strings (1989; Helsinki, Aug. 9, 1990); Lintukoto (Isle of Bliss; 1995); Autumn Gardens (London, July 26, 1999). CHAMBER : 4 string quartets (1952; 1958, Helsinki, April 2, 1959; 1965; 1975); Pöytämusiikki Herttua Juhanalle (Banqueting Music for Duke Juhana) for 4 Recorders (1954); 2 Preludes and Fugues for Cello and Piano (1955); Quartet for Oboe and String Trio (1957; rev. 1965); Wind Octet (1962); Bassoon Sonata (1965; rev. 1968); Sonetto for Clarinet and Piano (1969); Sonata for Solo Cello (1969); Dithyrambus for Violin and Piano (1970); Ugrilainen Dialogi for Violin and Cello (1973); Variétudefor Violin (1974); Sonata for Flutes and Guitar (1975); Music for Upright Piano and Amplified Cello (1976); Tarantará for Trumpet (1976); Polska for 2 Cellos and Piano (1977); Angel of Dusk, concerto for Double Bass, 2 Pianos, and Percussionist (1980; rev. 1993); Playgrounds for Angels for 4 Trumpets, 4 Trombones, Horn, and Tuba (Helsinki, Sept. 12, 1981); Serenade in Brass for Brass (1982); Fanfare for Emo for 2 Trumpets and 2 Trombones (1983); Cello Sonata (Helsinki, Sept. 16, 1991); Fanfare for the 75^th Anniversary of Finland’s Independence 1992 for 4 Trumpets (Joensuu, June 14, 1992); Notturno e danza for Violin and Piano (1993); String Quintet, Les deux inconnus (1997); Hymnus for Trumpet and Organ (1998; London, June 23, 1999); Con spirito di Kuhmo for Violin and Cello (Helsinki, Feb. 7, 1999); piano pieces, including 2 sonatas (Christus und die Fischer, 1969; The Fire Sermon, 1970); organ music; guitar pieces. VOCAL : 5 Sonette an Orpheus, song cycle for High, Medium, or Low Voice and Piano (1954–55; also for Medium Voice and Orch., 1960; Helsinki, April 14, 1961); Die Liebenden, song cycle for Voice and Piano (1954–55; also for High Voice and String Orch., 1960; Itsenäisyyskantaatti (Independence Cantata) for Soloists, Reciter, Chorus, and Orch. (Tampere, June 10, 1967); True & False Unicorn for 3 Reciters, Chamber Chorus, Ensemble, and Tape (1971; Ârhus, March 25, 1974); Vigilia (Vigil Commemorating St. John the Baptist) for Soloists and Chorus (1971–72; part 1, Helsinki, Aug. 28, 1971; part 2, Helsinki, Sept. 9, 1972; rev. 1996; Helsinki, Oct. 14, 1997); Elämän kirja (A Book of Life), 11 songs for Soloists and Men’s Chorus (1972; Helsinki, Feb. 5, 1975); Lapsimessu (A Children’s Mass) for Children’s Chorus and String Orch. (Espoo, Dec. 20, 1973); Kainuu, cantata for Chorus, Reciter, and Percussionist (1975); Odotus (Waiting), cantata for Chorus, Reciter, and Organ (1978); Magnificat for Soloists and Chorus (1979); Parantaja (The Healer) for Reciter, Chorus, and Orch. (Helsinki, May 29, 1981); Katedralen (The Cathedral) for Soloists and Chorus (1983); Katso Minun Kansani on Puu (Behold, My People Are a Tree), independence cantata 1992 for Chorus and Orch. (1991–92; Joensuu, June 14, 1992); Caneton de Nuestro Tiempo for Chorus (1993); On the Last Frontier for Chorus and Orch. (Helsinki, Oct. 8, 1998); Halavan Himmeän Alla (In the Shade of the Willow) for Chorus (1998; Minneapolis, March 12, 1999). TAPE : Number 1 and 2 (both 1980); Heureka Music 1–2 (1989).

Bibliography

K. Aho, E. R. sinfonikkona (E. R. as Symphonist; Helsinki, 1988); A. Sivuoja-Gunaratnam, Narrating With Twelve-Tones: E. R.’s First Serial Period (ca.1957–1965) (Helsinki, 1997); C. Wellner, Das musikdramatische Werk von E. R .(Vienna, 1998).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire