Ondine
Ondine quickly outstripped their original mission. Their fourth release, dedicated to Thomas Einojuhani Rautavaara, conquered an international audience in the years of 1987-1988. With a sound displaying undeniable expertise, Ondine quickly became the architect of a Finish musical renaissance, in line with the Finlandia label, as they used the name and music of Rautavaara as a pillar. There are more than 25 references, actively, to the Ondine catalogue online.
Early in its existence, Ondine affirmed its very strong roots in Finnish music and culture. It focussed on Finnish music, and on Finnish musicians. The label made exciting discoveries, showcasing names that were previously unheard of both in Finland and abroad: Väinö Raitio, Aarre Merikanto, and Erkki Melartin, who once served as the best representatives of Finland; Jukka Pekka Saraste, Leif Segerstam, Sakari Oramo, the Finnish Chamber Choir, Karita Mattila, Soile Isokoski, Ralf Gothoni, and the Tapiola Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra (from the city of Espoo) serve as the best representatives for today.
Without doubt the finest Ondine discs probably date from a certain period, a veritable golden age. The label produced some absolutely outstanding achievements, worth of an ideal discography: Jorma Hyninnen singing songs by Sibelius, but also Rautavaara’s vocal works for mixed choir by the Finnish Radio Chamber Choir (a simply extraordinary work!), Melartin’s Symphonies 1 to 6 by Leonid Grin (the Fourth Symphony, consisting of sumptuous music, remains one of the most dazzling Finnish scores of the early 20th century), the Symphonic Poems of Merikanto (beautiful Pan!) by Tuomas Ollila-Hannikainen, and the two Raitio opuses (simply indispensable) by Saraste and Ollila-Hannikainen. This is all without mentioning the Pingoud, Englund, and Kokkonen programmes… and, more recently, the superb ‘Talescapes’ recital by the YL choir. The importance played upon contemporary Finnish music facilitates the idea of continuity in artistic policy superbly…
Impressed by such a success story, today many international artists continue to sign with the Finnish label, such as Christian Tetzlaff, Lars Vogt, and Benjamin Schmid. Nevertheless, Ondine has continued its defence of the talents of Finland. The young pianist Paavali Jumppanen has performed the vast anthology of Beethoven sonatas for the label, with a release soon to follow. The prodigious conductor Hannu Lintu continues to develop, boldly directing his initiative towards some still too little known composers (such as Enesco).
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Rautavaara: Angels and Visitations
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ondine on Sep 4, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Plainscapes
Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Kļava, Sandis Steinbergs, Janis Kokins, Guna Aboltina
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Ondine on Jan 3, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tüür : Illuminatio, Symphony No. 8...
Lawrence Power, Genevieve Lacey, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Olari Elts, Marko Myohanen
Symphonic Music - Released by Ondine on Feb 9, 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Orchestral Songs
Soile Isokoski, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Ondine on Jan 1, 2006
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
RAUTAVAARA, E.: Piano Concerto No. 3 / Autumn Gardens (Ashkenazy)
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ondine on Jan 1, 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
VASKS, P.: Cello Concerto / Symphony No. 3 (Ylonen)
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Marko Ylonen, John Storgårds
Classical - Released by Ondine on Jan 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hindemith: Kammermusik, Vol. 2
Classical - Released by Ondine on Sep 4, 2020
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Eller : Symphonic Poems
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Olari Elts
Classical - Released by Ondine on Oct 4, 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tüür: Ärkamine (Awakening)
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Sinfonietta Riga, Daniel Reuss
Classical - Released by Ondine on Nov 1, 2011
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Melartin: Complete Symphonies, Nos. 1-6
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Pia Freund, Leonid Grin, Lilli Paasikivi, Laura Nykanen
Classical - Released by Ondine on Jan 1, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rautavaara: Rubáiyát, Balada, Canto V...
Gerald Finley, Mika Pohjonen, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Helsinki Music Centre Choir, John Storgårds
Classical - Released by Ondine on May 13, 2016
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
ENGLUND, E.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Epinikia (Raekallio, Klas)
Matti Raekallio, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Eri Klas
Classical - Released by Ondine on Jan 1, 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Scriabin: Mazurkas
Classical - Released by Ondine on Mar 6, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Oeuvres de chambre pour cordes (Volume 1)
Chamber Music - Released by Ondine on May 20, 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Kaija Saariaho: 70 Years
The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Ondine on Jan 6, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La divine liturgie de Saint Jean Chrysostome (The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom)
Kārlis Rūtentāls, Gundrars Dzilums, Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Kļava
Classical - Released by Ondine on Apr 27, 2010
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Kaija Saariaho : La Passion de Simone
Dawn Upshaw, Dominique Blanc, Tapiolan Kamarikuoro, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Ondine on Mar 5, 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
D'om le vrai sens - Laterna Magica - Leino Songs
Kari Kriikku, Anu Komsi, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo
Classical - Released by Ondine on Sep 6, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rautavaara : Works for Cello & Piano
Tanja Tetzlaff, Gunilla Sussmann
Duets - Released by Ondine on Feb 9, 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
VASKS, P.: Pater noster / Dona nobis pacem / Mass (Latvian Radio Choir, Klava)
Latvian Radio Choir, Sinfonietta Riga, Sigvards Kļava
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Ondine on Jan 1, 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7
The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Johanna Rusanen, Hannu Lintu, Ville Rusanen, Estonian National Male Choir, Polytech Male Choir
Classical - Released by Ondine on Oct 4, 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo