Rautavaara, Einojuhani - Rautavaara & Martinu: Piano Concertos No. 3 - Mustonen, Olli

The Czech Bohuslav Martinu and the Finnish Einojuhani Rautavaara may not seem to have much in common, but both have adopted an attitude free of musical puritanism and have constantly found new sources of inspiration, which they explore without taboos. Explaining the heterogeneity of his musical language over the years, Rautavaara stated that as a Finn he stands "between East and West, between the tundra and Europe, between the Lutheran and Orthodox faiths." Piano Concerto No. 3, which premiered in 1999, has successfully joined the small group of late 20th-century concertos that are now part of the repertoire. Its subtitle, "The Gift of Dreams," seems to perfectly describe the character of the music in the first two movements, before the finale, which is more determined and nervous. Eclectic, prolific, and capable of composing in all genres, Bohuslav Martinu is, however, a composer who is difficult to classify, and the word that seems to best describe his music is "cosmopolitan." Piano Concerto No. 3 shares many features with the Romantic concerto and brings to mind both Brahms and Stravinsky. Reflecting the tragic events that took place in Prague at the time of its composition, the concerto ends with a macabre dance and seems like a defiant, almost belligerent gesture.