Rautavaara: Complete Piano Works

Grigaliūnaitė, Morta

PCL 10331

Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928–2016) is recognized as one of the most versatile contemporary composers, distinguished by a vast and diverse creative output. His extensive catalogue includes numerous symphonies, concertos, operas, chamber and choral compositions, sonatas for solo instruments and various other works, making him one of the most frequently performed Finnish composers to this day.

In his piano music, Rautavaara expresses his musical ideas in a way that strikes a balance between structure and creativity. Often labelled as ‘mystic’, Rautavaara shifted between various compositional styles: modernist, avant-gardist, serialist. In the end however he said “The only way for me was to write the kind of music which I myself liked.”

This new recording presents Rautavaara’s complete pianistic output: two piano sonatas and several sets of preludes, etudes and character pieces. Fascinating music, full of melodic and pianistic invention!

With performances broadcast live in 40 countries through the classical music channel Mezzo, Lithuanian pianist Morta Grigaliūnaitė has established herself as an active soloist and chamber musician. Since the release of her debut album in 2019, she has received outstanding reviews for her interpretation of piano works by Grażyna Bacewicz.

Described by critics as “powerful and dramatic”, her recordings have been featured on BBC Radio 3, as well as receiving five-star reviews on Fanfare and Diapason magazines.

Works:

•Rautavaara: The Fiddlers op. 1
• Rautavaara: Aleksanteri Könni
• Rautavaara: The Devil and the Drunkard
• Rautavaara: Klaviersonaten Nr. 1 op. 50 "Christus und die Fischer" & Nr. 2 op. 64 "The Fire Sermon"
• Rautavaara: Icons op. 6; 3 Symmetric Preludes
• Rautavaara: Narcissus
• Rautavaara: Fuoco
• Rautavaara: Passionale; Etüden op. 42
• Rautavaara: 7 Preludes op. 7
• Rautavaara: Mirroring; Partita op. 34
• Rautavaara: Cantus Arcticus op. 61

CD x 2

Piano Classics

5/12/25

5029365103312