In the week of his 80th birthday, the Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara was celebrated both as composer of the week on Radio 3 and, at home, in a festive concert given by the Helsinki Philharmonic, conducted by Olli Mustonen, that featured the European premiere of Rautavaara's 30-minute, four-movement orchestral work called Tapestry of Life.

Old men are allowed to dream dreams, and this is very much a retrospective meditation in Rautavaara's late, lush, mistily tonal orchestral manner. It moves from Stars Swarming, a slow-moving crescendo for dark strings and woodwind, lit by spangles of harp and flute, and inspired by Edith Södergran's poem about star-splinters falling in a garden. After trumpets and trombones have radiated warmth and light through Halcyon Days, the third movement, Sighs and Tears, is shaped by the lamenting dying falls of cor anglais and oboe. And, finally, a heavy and more strident Last Polonaise - a ritual device previously used by Rautavaara in his operas as a symbol of finality.

It was surprising how little the movements differed from each other. Rautavaara is now not only contemplatively recycling but is making an artistic case for themes that self- generate. It's difficult, though, not to hear in the music a desire to remain within an artistic comfort zone: colours, textures and pacing now stay in the groove, seldom challenging the ear.

So, a vividly detailed performance of Sibelius's symphonic poem, Oceanides, offered welcome stimulus for ear and mind: how much newer and more daring this music seemed. Mustonen finally conducted Prokofiev's Scythian Suite Op 20, with all the audacious energy and daring which characterise his own piano playing.

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