Composer

:

Einojuhani Rautavaara

Genre

:

Concerto

Style

:

Concerto

Compose Date

:

1998

First Performance

:

Aug 18, 1999

Average_duration

:

27:43

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Einojuhani Rautavaara's Piano Concerto No.3, subtitled "Gift of Dreams," was composed in 1998 and premiered on September 10, 1998, by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, with Vladimir Ashkenazy as the soloist and conductor. The concerto is in three movements and has a total duration of approximately 30 minutes. The first movement, marked "Moderato," begins with a mysterious and dreamy introduction in the orchestra, featuring a solo horn and strings. The piano enters with a gentle melody, which gradually builds in intensity and complexity. The movement features a number of contrasting sections, including a lively and rhythmic middle section and a lyrical and introspective section for solo piano. The movement ends with a return to the opening material, with the piano and orchestra trading off fragments of the main theme. The second movement, marked "Adagio assai," is a slow and contemplative meditation, featuring a hauntingly beautiful melody in the piano. The orchestra provides a delicate and atmospheric accompaniment, with shimmering strings and ethereal woodwinds. The movement builds to a powerful climax, with the piano and orchestra playing in unison, before subsiding into a quiet and introspective coda. The final movement, marked "Allegro," is a lively and energetic romp, featuring a virtuosic solo piano part and a driving rhythmic pulse in the orchestra. The movement is characterized by its playful and whimsical spirit, with the piano and orchestra engaging in a lively dialogue and trading off playful melodies and rhythms. The movement builds to a thrilling climax, with the piano and orchestra playing in unison, before ending with a triumphant flourish. Overall, Rautavaara's Piano Concerto No.3 is a work of great beauty and depth, showcasing the composer's gift for melody, harmony, and orchestration. The concerto is notable for its dreamy and atmospheric qualities, as well as its virtuosic and playful piano writing. It is a work that rewards repeated listening, revealing new layers of meaning and beauty with each hearing.

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