Over the course of his life, Einojuhani Rautavaara has undergone a development that seems like a concentration of music history since 1950. His break with the shackles of serialism and his commitment to his own ideals were of decisive importance for his international reputation - a courageous step that has resulted in unmistakable creations. Rautavaara demands an extreme closeness from the listener, an immediate, up-close empathy, but rewards them with a spiritual richness that leaves an indelible impression. The fifty-year-old Violin Concerto with its subtle Sibelius reminiscences, the poignant declaration of love in the Sérénade from 2016, the year of his death, and the beautiful Gardens in Autumn, painted shortly before the turn of the millennium, are impressive examples of this comprehensibility and are among the Finnish master's most frequently performed works for good reason.