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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Beethoven : Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 4
Lars Vogt, Royal Northern Sinfonia
Keyboard Concertos - Released by Ondine on Mar 2, 2018
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
RAUTAVAARA, E: Symphonies Nos. 1-8 (Franck, Pommer, Segerstam)
Belgium National Orchestra, Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchester Leipzig, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Mikko Franck, Max Pommer, Leif Segerstam
Classical - Released by Ondine on Feb 24, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lutosławski : Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4 & Jeux vénitiens
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu
Symphonies - Released by Ondine on Nov 9, 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 5
Lars Vogt, Royal Northern Sinfonia
Classical - Released by Ondine on Apr 28, 2017
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas, Op. 30 Nos. 1-3
Chamber Music - Released by Ondine on Oct 1, 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Violin Concerto in A Minor & Romance in F Minor - Suk: Fantasy in G Minor, Op. 24
Christian Tetzlaff, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds
Classical - Released by Ondine on Mar 11, 2016
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: String Quartets, Opp. 132, 130 & 133
Chamber Music - Released by Ondine on Apr 3, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Outi Tarkiainen: Midnight Sun Variations & Other Orchestral Works
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Daniel, Nicholas Collon
Classical - Released by Ondine on Feb 2, 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Robert Schumann : Sonates pour violon et piano
Chamber Music - Released by Ondine on Sep 24, 2013
Gramophone: Recording of the Month24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Crusell: The Last Warrior
Aapo Hakkinen, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, Jani Sunnarborg, Audi Jugendchorakademie
Choral Music (Choirs) - Released by Ondine on Aug 4, 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15 & 4 Ballades, Op. 10
Classical - Released by Ondine on Nov 1, 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 & Handel Variations
Classical - Released by Ondine on Apr 3, 2020
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Lutosławski: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu
Classical - Released by Ondine on Feb 7, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaïkovski : Casse-noisette (Intégrale)
Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev
Classical - Released by Ondine on Sep 6, 2011
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Janáček: Piano Works
Classical - Released by Ondine on Feb 5, 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Complete Mazurkas, Vol. 2
Classical - Released by Ondine on Oct 6, 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: The Piano Trios
Christian Tetzlaff, Tanja Tetzlaff, Lars Vogt
Chamber Music - Released by Ondine on Apr 1, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Latin Motets
Latvian Radio Choir, Jānis Kurševs, Sigvards Kļava, Kristīne Adamaite
Classical - Released by Ondine on Nov 6, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Swan Lake [Ballet] (Russian National Orchestra, Pletnev)
Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev
Ballets - Released by Ondine on Feb 23, 2010
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lotta Wennäkoski: Sigla
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sivan Magen, Nicholas Collon
Classical - Released by Ondine on Feb 3, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jean Sibelius : Œuvres symphoniques
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds
Classical - Released by Ondine on Aug 24, 2010
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo