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Alan Hovhaness
Born: March 8, 1911; Somerville, MA
Died: June 21, 2000; Seattle, WA
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Alan Hovhaness, one of the most prolific composers of the twentieth century, left behind a legacy of hundreds of works, including more than 60 symphonies, numerous choral works, ballets, and operas, and all manner of chamber music. Hovhaness, born of Scottish and Armenian descent in 1911, took an early interest in composition, and by the age of 13 had composed two operas. After studies at the New England Conservatory with Frederick Converse,
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Works
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Achtamar, Op. 64 no 1 (1)
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Allegro on a Pakastan Lute Tune, Op. 104 no 6 (1)
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Alleluia and Fugue for String Orchestra, Op. 40b (6)
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Alleluia and Fugue for String Orchestra, Op. 40b: Excerpt(s) (1)
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Alleluia: Andante (1)
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Anahid, Op. 57 (1)
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And God Created Great Whales, Op. 229 (5)
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Angelic Song, Op. 19 (1)
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Aria, Hymn and Fugue (1)
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Armenian Rhapsodies (3) for String Orchestra: no 1, Op. 45 (2)
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Armenian Rhapsodies (3): no 2, Op. 51 (2)
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Armenian Rhapsodies (3): no 3, Op. 189 (2)
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Artik for Horn and String Orchestra, Op. 78 (2)
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As on the night, Op. 100 no 1b "Christmas Ode" (1)
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Avak the Healer, Op. 64 (1)
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Ave Maria, Op. 100 no 1a (1)
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Bagatelles (4) for String Quartet, Op. 30 (2)
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Bagatelles (4) for String Quartet, Op. 30: no 1 (4)
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Bagatelles (4) for String Quartet, Op. 30: no 2 (1)
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Bagatelles (4) for String Quartet, Op. 30: no 3 (1)
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Bagatelles (4) for String Quartet, Op. 30: no 4 (2)
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Black Pool of Cat, Op. 84 no 1 (1)
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Boreas and Mount Wildcat, Op. 2a (1)
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Celestial Canticle, Op. 305 no 2 (1)
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Celestial Fantasy, Op. 44 (5)
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Chahagir for Viola solo, Op. 56 no 1 (3)
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Concerto for Cello, Op. 27 (1)
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Concerto for Cello, Op. 27: Allegro (1)
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Concerto for Guitar, Op. 325 (1)
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Concerto for Harp and String Orchestra, Op. 267 (1)
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Concerto for Piano, 4 Trumpets and Percussion, Op. 91 "Khaldis" (3)
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Concerto for Saxophone, Op. 344 (2)
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Concerto no 2 for Guitar, Op. 394 (1)
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Concerto no 3 for Orchestra, Op. 94 "Diran" (1)
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Concerto no 7 for Orchestra, Op. 116 (1)
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Concerto no 8 for Orchestra, Op. 117 (1)
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Dance Ghazal for Piano, Op. 37 (2)
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Dances (6) for Brass Quintet, Op. 79 (1)
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David Wept for Slain Absalom (1)
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Dawn at Laona, Op. 153 (1)
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Duet for Violin and Harpsichord, Op. 122 (3)
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Easter Cantata, Op. 100 no 3 (1)
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Elibris (Dawn God of Urardu), Op. 50 (3)
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Fanfare for the New Atlantis, Op. 281 (1)
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Fantasies (3) for Brass, Op. 70 (1)
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Fantasy for Piano, Op. 16 (2)
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Fantasy on an Ossetin Tune for Piano, Op. 85 (1)
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Fantasy on Japanese woodprints, Op. 211 (2)
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Floating World, Op. 209 "Ukiyo" (2)
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Fra Angelico, Op. 220 (1)
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From the End of the Earth (1)
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Grand Final Processional (1)
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Greek Folk Dances (7), for harmonica & strings (or piano), Op. 150 (1)
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Habakkuk, Op. 434 (1)
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Haroutiun, Op 71: Aria (2)
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Hercules, Op. 56 no 4 (1)
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How I adore thee, Op. 7 (1)
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Hymn to Yerevan, Op. 83 (1)
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Invocations to Vahaken for Piano and Percussion, Op. 54 (1)
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Janabar, Op. 81 (1)
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Janabar, Op. 81 "Journey": no 1, Fantasy (1)
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Jesus Christ has risen today, Op. 100 no 3b (1)
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Jesus, lover of my soul, Op. 53b (2)
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Jhala for Piano, Op. 103 (1)
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Khaldis, concerto for 4 trumpets (or any multiple thereof), piano & percussion, Op. 91 (1)
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Khirgiz Suite, Op. 73 (1)
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Khrimian Harig, Op. 49 (1)
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Koke no niwa, Op. 181 (3)
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Lady of Light, Op. 227 (1)
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Lake Samish, Op. 415 (1)
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Lament, Op. 25 (1)
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Lousadzak for Piano and String Orchestra, Op. 48 (1)
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Love Song Vanishing Into Sounds of Crickets, Op. 327 (1)
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Love Songs of Hafiz, Op. 33 (1)
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Lullaby for Violin and Piano, Op. 1 "Oror" (1)
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Lullaby of the Lake, Op. 74 no 4 (1)
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Macedonian Mountain Dances (2) for Piano, Op. 144: no 1 (2)
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Macedonian Mountain Dances (2) for Piano, Op. 144: no 2 (2)
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Magnificat, Op. 157 (2)
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Magnificat, Op. 157: no 12, Gloria Patri (1)
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Make a Joyful Noise, Op. 105 (1)
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Make a Joyful Noise, Op. 105: Give Ear to My Prayer (2)
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Make Haste, Op. 86 (1)
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Meditation on Orpheus, Op. 155 (2)
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Meditation on Zeami, Op. 207 (1)
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Motets (3), Op. 259: no 1, Peace be multiplied (1)
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Motets (4), Op. 246: no 4, A rose tree blossoms (1)
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Motets (4), Op. 268 (1)
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Mountain Idyll(s) (1)
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Mountain of Prophecy, Op. 195 (1)
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Mountains and Rivers without End, Op. 225 (2)
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Mystery of the Holy Martyrs, Op. 251 (1)
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Mystic Flute, Op. 22 (3)
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Nocturne for Harp, Op. 20 (2)
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Nocturne for harp, Op. 20/1 (1)
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O for a shout of sacred joy, Op. 161 (1)
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O God our help in ages past, Op. 137 (1)
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O Lord, Bless Thy Mountains, Op. 276 (1)
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October Mountain, Op. 135 (1)
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Ode to the Temple of Sound, Op. 216 (1)
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Odes (3) of Solomon, Op. 5 (1)
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Orbit for Piano no 2, Op. 102 (2)
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Out of the Depths, Op. 142 no 3a (2)
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Prayer of St Gregory, Op. 62b (20)
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Prelude and Quadruple Fugue, Op. 128 (4)
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Psalm and Fugue for 4 Horns (1)
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Psalm for Brass Quartet, Op. 358 (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 1, Op. 8 "Jupiter" (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 2, Op. 147: Gamelan in Sosi Style (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 2, Op. 147: Spirit Murmur (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 2, Op. 147: Suite (2)
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Quartet for Strings no 3, Op. 208 no 1 "Reflections on my Childhood" (2)
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Quartet for Strings no 4, Op. 208 no 2 "The Ancient Tree" (1)
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Requiem and Resurrection for Brass and Percussion, Op. 224 (1)
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Return and rebuild the desolate places, Op. 213 (2)
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Saris, Op. 67 (1)
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Saturn, Op. 243 (1)
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Shambala, Op. 228 (1)
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Shatakh, Op. 63 (1)
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Slumber Song for Piano, Op. 52 no 2 (1)
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Sonata 1 for flute, Op. 118 (1)
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Sonata for Flute, Op. 118 (1)
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Sonata for Flute, Op. 118: 2nd movement, Allegro (1)
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Sonata for Guitar no 1, Op. 316 (1)
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Sonata for Guitar no 2, Op. 329 (1)
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Sonata for Harp and Guitar, Op. 374 "Spirit of the Trees" (1)
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Sonata for Harp, Op. 127 (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 299 no 2 "Mt Ossipee" (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 301 "Fred the Cat" (3)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 301 "Fred the Cat": Cat Dreaming (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 303 "Ananda" (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 303 "Ananda": Final movement, Vision of a starry night (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 335 "Mt Chocurua" (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 340 "Blue Job Mountain" (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 346 "Prospect Hill" (1)
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Sonata for Piano, Op. 405 "Mt. Katadin" (1)
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Sonata for Ryuteki/Flute and Sho/Organ, Op 121 (1)
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Sonata for Violin and Harp, Op. 406 (2)
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Song of the Sea (1)
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Starry Night, Op. 384 (1)
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Suite for Alto Saxophone and Guitar, Op. 291 (2)
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Suite for Band, Op. 15 (1)
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Suite for English Horn and Bassoon, Op. 21 (2)
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Symphony no 1, Op. 17 "Exile" (2)
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Symphony no 10, Op. 184 "Vahaken" (1)
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Symphony no 11, Op. 186 "All Men are Brothers" (1)
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Symphony no 12, Op. 188: Psalm 23 (1)
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Symphony no 14, Op. 194, "Ararat" (1)
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Symphony no 15, Op. 199 "Silver Pilgrimage" (2)
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Symphony no 19, Op. 217 "Vishnu" (1)
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Symphony no 2, Op. 132 "Mysterious Mountain" (10)
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Symphony no 20, Op. 223 "Three Journeys to a Holy Mountain" (1)
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Symphony no 21 for 2 Trumpets and Strings, Op. 234 "Etchmiadzin" (1)
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Symphony no 22, Op. 236 "City of Light" (1)
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Symphony no 22, Op. 236 "City of Light": 2nd movement, Angel of Light (1)
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Symphony no 23, Op. 249 "Ani" (1)
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Symphony no 24, Op. 273 "Majnun" (1)
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Symphony no 25, Op. 275 "Odysseus" (1)
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Symphony no 29 for Baritone Horn/Trombone and Orchestra, Op. 289 (2)
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Symphony no 3, Op. 148 (1)
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Symphony no 31 for Strings, Op. 294 (1)
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Symphony no 39 for Guitar and Orchestra, Op. 321: Adagio (1)
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Symphony no 4 for Winds, Op. 165 (2)
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Symphony no 46, Op. 347 "Green Mountains": 4th mvt, Mountain Thunderstorm and Thanksgiving Music (1)
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Symphony no 46, Op. 347 "To the Green Mountains": 1st mvt, Prelude (1)
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Symphony no 49, Op. 356 "Christmas Symphony" (1)
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Symphony no 50, Op. 360 "Mount St. Helens" (2)
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Symphony no 50, Op. 360 "Mount St. Helens": Andante (1)
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Symphony no 53, Op. 377 "Star Dawn" (3)
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Symphony no 6, Op. 173 "Celestial Gate" (3)
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Symphony no 60, Op. 396 "To the Appalachian Mountains" (1)
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Symphony no 63, Op. 411 "Loon Lake" (1)
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Symphony no 66, Op. 428 "Hymn to Glacier Peak" (1)
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Symphony no 7, Op. 178, "Nanga Parvat" (1)
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Symphony no 9, Op. 180 "St Vartan": Part One (1)
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Symphony no 9, Op. 180 "St Vartan": Part Two (1)
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Symphony No.50 ("Mount St. Helens"), Op. 360: Andante (1)
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Tale of the Sun Goddess Going into the Stone House, Op. 323: O, Joy at the Dawn of Spring (1)
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Talin, Op. 93 (1)
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Talin, Op. 93: no 2, Estampie (1)
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Tapor no 1 (1)
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The Flowering Peach, Op. 125: Suite (2)
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The Garden of Adonis, Op. 245 (3)
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The Holy City, Op. 218 (2)
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The Lord's prayer, Op. 35 (1)
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The rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Op. 282 (2)
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Triptych (1)
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Tumburu, Op. 264 no 1 (1)
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Tzaikerk, Op. 53 (2)
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Upon Enchanted Ground, Op. 90 no 1 (1)
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Varak, Op. 47 (1)
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Varuna, Op. 264 no 2 (1)
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Vision from High Rock, Op. 123 (1)
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Visions (3) of St. Mesrob, Op. 198 (1)
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Yakamochi (1)
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Yeraz, Op. 56 no 2 (1)
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Biography |
by Kristen Grimshaw
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Alan Hovhaness, one of the most prolific composers of the twentieth century, left behind a legacy of hundreds of works, including more than 60 symphonies, numerous choral works, ballets, and operas, and all manner of chamber music. Hovhaness, born of Scottish and Armenian descent in 1911, took an early interest in composition, and by the age of 13 had composed two operas. After studies at the New England Conservatory with Frederick Converse, Hovhaness made a favorable impression with his first acknowledged symphony, Exile, when it was performed by the BBC Symphony in London in 1939. The works of Hovhaness' early period both reflect the influence of Renaissance music and utilize the harmonies of the late nineteenth century. During the 1930s the composer developed an interest in Indian music, which became one of the most pervasive influences upon his own works from that time on. In 1942 he received a scholarship to the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, where he attended composition seminars led by Aaron Copland (assisted by Leonard Bernstein). The experience, unfortunately, was less than positive, since both Copland and Bernstein were highly critical of Hovhaness' music. The ridicule he experienced led Hovhaness to leave Tanglewood early. Discouraged, he destroyed many of his early works. Serendipitously, though, the composer's return to Boston was followed by a meeting with the Greek painter and psychic Herman DiGiovanno, who convinced him to study the music of his Armenian ancestry. Further immersion in Armenian church music led Hovhaness to the works of Komitas Vartabed, a priest and composer who died in 1936 and whom Hovhaness described as the "Armenian Bartók." Hovhaness' discovery of Armenian music had a direct effect upon his own works, which became more rhythmically and contrapuntally active and began to reflect the improvisatory nature of Armenian church melodies.
During the 1940s Hovhaness furthered his study of the Armenian culture, playing organ at an Armenian church and learning the Armenian language, and took a further interest in the Eastern philosophies. The growing success of his music in the 1950s led to several important grants and commissions; a grant from the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1951 allowed him to move to New York. After composing Ardent Song (1954), a ballet score for Martha Graham, Hovhaness toured the Far East. Still shunned by the mainstream musical establishment of the time, he continued to receive recognition from without, including Guggenheim Fellowships in 1953, 1954, and 1958. A commission from the Houston Symphony, the Symphony No. 2 ("Mysterious Mountain"; 1955) provided Hovhaness his first popular success. The work was auspiciously premiered by Leopold Stokowski, and the redoubtable Fritz Reiner made a highly regarded recording of it with the Chicago Symphony.
After receiving a Fulbright Fellowship in 1959, Hovhaness again toured the East and was the first Western composer invited to participate in the music festival in Madras, India. He was also received warmly in Japan, where he made television appearances and conducted his music with the Tokyo Symphony. During a return to Asia in 1962 on a Rockefeller Grant, Hovhaness studied the ancient court music of Japan and Korea.
The aural result of the composer's immersion in Eastern culture is a musical language invested with a sense of mysticism and spirituality. Among his voluminous catalogue, Hovhaness' colorful orchestral works have maintained the greatest popularity among audiences; notable examples include the Symphony No. 17 ("Symphony for Metal Orchestra"; 1963); And God Created Great Whales (1970), which incorporates recordings of actual whale "songs," and the Symphony No. 50 ("Mount St. Helen's"; 1982). |
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