Symphony No, 7, Piano Concerto No, 3, : Segerstam / Ashkenazy(P)/ Helsinki Philharmonic (+Catalogue)

2010 Ondine Catalogue & CD
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Gift of Dreams, Angel of Light

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 "Gift of Dreams" (1998)
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano and conductor
Recorded 08/1999

Symphony No. 7 "Angel of Light" (1994)
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Leif Segerstam, conductor
Recorded 08/1995

This new international catalogue includes all of Ondine's recordings which are available for physical purchase at September 2010.

Drawing upon some of the most successful recordings in Ondine's 25 years of history, the enclosed CD pays tribute to legendary Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara with two major orchestral masterpieces, recorded in his presence and performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Both composer and orchestra have been in a privileged partnership with the label since its very beginnings.

Leading the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from the piano, Vladimir Ashkenazy here performs the Third Piano Concerto ("Gift of Dreams"). He commissioned this work in 1998 as a concerto which he could conduct while playing the solo part, and made the present premiere recording in 1999 (ODE 950-2)

Leif Segerstam's 1995 premiere recording of Angel of Light (Symphony No. 7) became an international best-seller and spurred Rautavaara to considerable international fame, in 1997 culminating in a GRAMMY nomination and a Cannes Classical Award as 'Best Disc of Music by a Living Composer' (ODE 869-2). ( Ondine )