Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No.4 (1957/1959)

Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000): Symphony No.4, Op.165 (1957/1959).
I. Andante
II. Allegro [08:50]
III. Andante espressivo [13:17]
Eastman Wind Ensemble diretto da Archibald Clyde Roller.
Cover image: painting by Adolph Gottlieb.
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[@JonFrumTheFirst]

I just heard this on the radio. My kind of classical music.

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne Interpretation dieser einzigartig komponierten Sinfonie mit milden und endgültig brillanten Tönen aller Blasinstrumente. Der letzte Satz klingt besonders schön und auch majestätisch. Der geniale Dirigent leitet das ausgezeichnete Blasensemble im perfekt analysierten Tempo und mit perfekt kontrollierter Dynamik. Einfach wunderbar!

[@extrasalt4595]

I've enjoyed Hovhaness' music since the 80s, though much more of it is now available, thanks to KZbin. I do not always try to verbalize my perception of this music , except that I find it beautiful and relazing. Hoomeyow!!

[@gurusoft1]

A composer of great depth and soaring heights. Mystical and experimental. Doesn't go for the familiar. His notes take chances. Personal favorites are: -Celestial Gate -Mysterious Mountain -Concerto #8 -Loon Lake -Arevekal -Glacier Peak -Alleluia -Prayer of St. Gregory

[@kaybeenullenvoyde9196]

in 1968 I wanted everything he composed to sound like Mysterious Mountain. Later...came to appreciate the nuances between every work. 50 years later, so rewarding.

[@kaybeenullenvoyde9196]

My spouse just loves the St. Vartan symphony. Since the '80s!

[@1lekhine]

Danke

[@williamrubinstein3442]

Also Symphony 22 especially the last movement.

[@daphneanson9587]

Alos the last movement of Symphony 22

[@danielgloverpiano7693]

So much chant in this. Parts sound like Gregorian chant lifted straight from the time- also hymn like sections. A glorious mix of modern and ancient. Love it.

[@smijification]

Vivid and 'raw' sound suits this bold and innovative score perfectly!

[@Kobzar3374]

It is a very interesting piece, with many beautiful and appealing, even surprising moments. Thank you for sharing!

[@ckarav9920]

This composer seems relatively forgotten when compared with the likes of gould and persichetti, but along with giannini, he needs more attention. This piece has such interesting colors and timbres that I would have guessed it was composed recently, but of course not. The composer was just that much of a visionary

[@mjubo500]

I think a man from pre-Civilized times would feel something similar to what you may feel listeinig to this symphony.

[@bradhoehne8369]

I was randomly going through the Symphonies of Alan Hovhaness, and, when I got to this one, immediately recognized the first movement (and third) from the 1980 TV series Cosmos, where it is used strikingly as the backdrop of the "Alexandria Library" scenes where Carl Sagan, marveling at its architecture, says "Look at this place!" To my knowledge, it's not named in any of the soundtracks, although "Prayer of St. Gregory" and the "Vishnu" symphony often do.

[@123must]

Beautiful composition ! Thanks so much

[@maestrosdreamcafe3022]

This channel has opened up his music to me. Thanks so much.

[@ianpatrickmchugh787]

Thank you for uploading so much wonderful music by Alan Hovhaness!

[@RobertDeMiedo]

Bellísimo.

[@kuang-licheng402]

nice

[@vincentstuart3148]

only in america!!!!! love this composer for being himself excellent

[@qawi272]

All great composers express themselves also this is not only possible in the US 🙈

[@harryandruschak2843]

True contemplative music.

[@wkehl2011]

Hi Sound Watcher :) Wikipedia carries a list of motion pictures "with scores by Alan Hovhaness." I don't know whether that means Hovhaness wrote music specifically for those films or if the film directors used music he had written previously.

[@neil3428]

It really makes you wonder how many books you can read in a lifetime

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

It's interesting how his Sinfonias have so much more complexity.

[@joelthompson5587]

CAPTIVATING. A SHIMMERING QUALITY . FAR EASTERN IN SOUND.

[@pnocella]

Hmm- Armenian Apostolic Church chorale music? Text-based melodic phrases but w/o text? Interesting instrumental colors/textures. Interesting harmonic palette w/surprising modulations. Is it less difficult to compose dozens of symphonies using only a few instruments at a time? Very few (none?) "tutti" passages? Do all Hovhaness' symphonies have this sound?

[@ZanderPingu]

Carl Sagan brought me here.

[@normkirk65]

Yup ! Same here !!

[@philipb8161]

Sounds like mysterious movie music. Does anyone know if Hovhaness ever wrote a motion picture soundtrack?

[@derby2510]

6 years late, but he did, though very sparingly. Three or four films and some music for television programs.

[@stueystuey1962]

@@derby2510 also a lot of his music finds its way into movie soundtracks even if he didnt write directly for that purpose. Why he gets categorized as a nationalist composer, meaning that his sound world is representative of Armenia, is rather shallow and borders on perjorative. This is music that is universal; it has something to say to all of us and in no way limited by the composers ethic background or world view.

[@claudiozuniga913]

Yes is correct, music is not a color of flag, frontier and others stupidity.

[@sleepyd1231]

what's the percussion that sounds as if it has a delay effect on it? I find it's use so clever.

[@AlexAlvarez-uq8ct]

+Dylan Ost If you mean the sound in the first 2 minutes or so, it's a vibraphone with the (rotating) motor switched on. This was quite a propular effect in the '50s and '60s, but seems to have died out.

[@mikeg2924]

Check out Hovhaness Whales, too, honestly!