Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara wrote his Symphony No. 8, subtitled The Journey, in 1999. The total playing time is approximately 28 minutes.
There are four movements:
Instrumentation Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets in B, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns in F, 4 trumpets in C, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, tubular bells, 4 tom-toms, cymbal (suspended), gong (30"), 3 tam-tams, 2 harps, strings.
Premiere Philadelphia Orchestra / Wolfgang Sawallisch, April 27, 2000
Recordings
Rautavaara's symphony has been recorded four times since 1999.
OrchestraConductorRecord CompanyYear of RecordingFormatHelsinki Philharmonic OrchestraLeif SegerstamOndine Records2001CDLahti Symphony OrchestraOsmo VänskäBIS Records2004CDNew Zealand Symphony OrchestraPietari InkinenNaxos Records2006CDPhiladelphia OrchestraWolfgang SawallischRM Associates / Image Entertainment (Region 1)2000 (First European Performance in Kölner Philharmonie)DVD