ABSTRACT
The radical shifts in style within Einojuhani Rautavaara's composition are the result of an individual response to extreme change. Regular Sets is a significant piece within Rautavaara's output since it genuinely engages with issues surrounding both the modern and the traditional, specifically experimenting with new formal consequences arising from neo-tonal elements. Clearly Rautavaara felt that the technique would help him to overcome problems with generating global forms, a limitation originating from his early work with Merikanto. Rautavaara's ambivalent relationship with symphonic composition has perhaps come to epitomize the complexities of stylistic direction that are so fundamental to his work. The image of a journey in relation to symphonic composition is a persistent metaphor used by Rautavaara. The episodic nature of concerto form is a highly appropriate vehicle for the block-like structures and variation techniques of which Rautavaara is so fond. When reviewing Rautavaara's output overall, the amazing diversity of styles involved remains its most striking and memorable characteristic.
