IDAGIO | Rautavaara: Before the Icons - A Tapestry of Life 0761195114926

Featuring

Leif Segerstam
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Einojuhani Rautavaara

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Notable Performances

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the oldest professional symphony orchestra in the Nordic countries, premiered many of Jean Sibelius's major works, often with the composer himself conducting.

Composition History

The initial inspiration for "Before the Icons" dates back even further to Rautavaara's childhood trip with his parents to the Orthodox monastery of Valamo, located on an island in Lake Ladoga.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Rautavaara often found inspiration for his compositions in texts with strong atmospheres, sometimes just a few words, which would later become the work's title.

Composition History

Einojuhani Rautavaara's "Before the Icons" was completed in 2005, but its origins trace back to a set of six piano miniatures he composed in 1955 after discovering a book about icons.

Performer Biography

Leif Segerstam, the conductor on this album, is a musical polymath who studied violin, piano, composition, and conducting, and has composed over 250 works.

Composer Biography

Rautavaara composed "A Tapestry of Life" in 2007 at an advanced age, a few years after a serious illness had brought him close to death, from which he made an almost miraculous recovery.