I used to live around Seattle and went to Seattle Symph, and saw and heard his "Mount St Helens Symphony", and also his "Mysterious Mountain" Symph number 2, great piece. Very spiritual.
I was on a Hovhaness high when I was discovering his music some 25 years ago. For a time I could not get enough of it, but I eventually came to realize that so much of it sounds the same with similar effects throughout and with limited imagination and inventiveness. Admittedly, there are a few compositions that I greatly enjoy to this day, but for the most part Hovhaness is a one shot pony.
In my opinion, perhaps the greatest symphony of the 20th century, and without a doubt the greatest post-war symphony. I don't know of any other that's moved me so much as Pettersson's 7th, other than the likes of Beethoven's own 7th, Mahler's 2nd, or the underrated 1st symphony of Eivind Groven.
Jean: Wanna take a peek at my new piece for clarinet and vibraphone solo with ensemble? I am 2/3 done Foucault: (...) But where the vibraphone? Jean: OH FU....
Pur essendo un trombettista dilettante, non avevo mai sentito questo concerto. L'ho scoperto cercando una sigla radiofonica per il mio canale telegram e ne sono rimasto folgorato.
How you think and what is in your conscious, sub conscious and unconscious is how you will compose. These older composers from the 16 to the 19th century lived in a world that while difficult had a purer stream of thought and more spiritual devotion. These days with all this madness of mens in womens sports, men can have birth etc, where up is down and down is up few composers can match the old great ones who through the centuries still celebrated and played
"I propose to create a heroic, monumental style of composition simple enough to inspire all people, completely free from fads, artificial mannerisms and false sophistications, direct, forceful, sincere, always original but never unnatural. "
Interesting. Russian Orthodox Church as always will reject the piece because it obvious it is a modern, easy interpretation having nothing to do with a traditional liturgical melodies of the Church. I say, Russian, and I believe there is no difference as to aCapella tradition of both. Many Russian great composers wrote a lot of religions music, the Church beautifully performs it during concerts, but these music will never make into the church itself. As to this piece, yes, starting 6:40 it becomes familiar orchestration of numerous melodies for Kobsar, Lisenko today. Easy, pleasant listening, somewhere between "elevator" music and background music for a good movie. Listened one more. Lacks depth of a pray. I can't help feeling it is a talented imitation, a response to something already existing.
Un univers très musique de film! Une grosse ambiance et un piano galopant voire hypnotique. Bravo pour cette œuvre qui plairait à bernard Hermann ou Maurice Jarre!
I’ve been an admirer of his music for several decades and met him in Minneapolis in the 1970s. Even Sibelius, who met Hovhaness in the late 1940s, thought he was an emerging talent.
I first discovered Avshalomov from a CD of Jewish Tone Poems. There are obvious influences of Rimsky-Korsakov, and reminds of the Chinese Suite of Vasilenko. However, Avshalomov has a a strong and authentic musical voice and a clear ear for melody. This is very much on show here.
I’ve had the privilege of both singing tenor in this piece and playing the grande orgue part in Perth, Australia. A magnificent work of art with a mix of stunningly modal, gloriously bittersweet, and obnoxiously dissonant harmony that touches my soul.
Lovely performance. I have a 1950s performance (Louisville?) on CD but this one is better. I knew nothing about Hovhaness until I bought the LP of the "Mysterious Mountain" by Reiner. Stravinsky on the flip side. Then, one Sunday afternoon at the American Symphony concerts, Maestro Stokowski asked the audience to send in requests for the next season. I asked for "MM" and it was performed the next year. (Late 1960s), Hovhaness's music is very distinctive, but there is almost too much of it for his own fame.
I've loved Hovhaness' music for decades, and have only heard this now. There is still, apparently, much to listen to. I am not desirous of a funeral after my days on earth have passed, but if my survivors feel compelled, this is the musical backdrop I require.
Das erste finde ich etwas besser, dass 2.gibt es eigentlich nur in einer Kammerversion.wer hat es hier vervollständigt? Das Barfuß Lied kommt ja auch im 1.Konzert.Ich finde beide sind zu lang und zu ausschweifend.Seine Sinfonien finde ich wesentlich besser.
