Alan Hovhaness - Alleluia and Fugue - Op 40b - Seattle Symphony Orchestra

[lance4re]

Hovhaness makes you sit in awe

[Strefanasha]

did any other composer of the 20th century write fugue as a matter of artistic conviction? Yes, any composition student can write a fugue as an exercise, I have a few myself mouldering in my student notes somewhere. But that Hovhaness showed ability and affection for this great form is a wonderful point in his favour

[lamonita798]

beautiful!!!

[calmemelloyello2]

This is so hauntingly gorgeous. I love the dissonance!

[ConornSage]

This ought to be Batman's theme.

[Schizopantheist]

More than a shade, its sounds like hes fairly directly lifted something from Williams 'Fantasia'.

I like it.

[tombraiderxii]

We were sight-reading this piece in class at my high school. I just love this piece... it's so beautiful... what I would do to be able to have another chance to play this piece again. :)

[Jubalover]

Faith has eyes that see beyond the visible. Sky eyes, that peer from above the stone littered earth. ~ Jubal

[Psyche777able]

Yes! Mysterious Mountain is beautiful. His St. Helens or Helena is another great

masterpiece of his works. Thanks for posting his works.

[CarloAchdjian]

Sounds like Vaughn Williams...and this rocks!

[oxdrift76]

His Symphony #4 is my favorite. I have a Mercury Records vinyl by the Eastman Wind Ensemble. This is also a beautiful piece. Was just listening to Roy Harris on another post. Where have all the great composers of contemporary orchestral music gone??

[jawgraphy]

This is the sound of the universe.

[Clivejvaughan]

Yes, a little too similar to 'mysterious mountain' to stand out on its own, but since they're both gorgeous, who cares !

Shades of 'Tallis Fantasia' here, and for an Englishman, you can't get a much better recommendation.

[paulinho2250]

I recently discovered Hovhaness on our public radio station. Have always been a great Copland fan. This music is stirring to the soul. A very much needed stimulation these days.

[barbaryfair]

I just can't stop listening to this. It's like....so many different journeys at once. Mental, physical, emotional. Whatever you want it to be, you are traveling and it is taking you there.

[jinius132]

i love his music idk why he's not famous :(

[liuc06]

really?

[jagquon77]

That's not true at all.

[owenmartel]

Do some of the phrases in this resemble Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis?

[jagquon77]

I got that feeling the moment the piece started.

[pisanza]

I agree 100%!!! but williams is much better.

[gnosticimp]

Seattle Symphony, one of the country's best symphony orchestras.

[liuc06]

really?

[wanesm]

Very nice music...it is one of his masterpieces....why he is not famous like other musicians.....

[spacepatrolman]

He destroyed 1000 pieces of music because he didnt like being called the american sibelius then he wrote more .

[KXT16]

@wanesm He isnt as famous because unfortunetly through the course of time and the changes in music over the last hundred years many people have no taste for classical music anymore, so not enough people can praise such good composers anymore, its all about rock and rap nowadays(not saying i dont like it lol), but its unlike Bach or Handels time where thats all they listened to. You kinda understand me?

[Smudgedey]

@KXT16 i get what you're saying, but in Bach or Handel's time their music was the preserve of the upper classes, it wasn't what most people were listening to.

[eaglescout5]

@Smudgedey Not true. Yes, Bach wrote for rich folk, but what about all of those beautiful cantatas? He was a churchman and wrote so much for "commoners."

[hopeful546]

I always like Hovhaness but for a good fugue listen to Mysterious Mountain's fugue.

[fsoldaten]

dream like character, misty morning...soft breeze...somewhat like Grieg?

[BranSheanew]

Though I have heard this part about a hundred times I still think it is glorious.