Hovhaness- Island of the Mysterious Bells

While Hovhaness is certainly not a composer I'd normally upload, this piece is so bizarre (and so good) I just felt compelled. This is Alan Hovhaness' "Island of the Mysterious Bells" for the rather unorthodox ensemble of four harps. For those not aware of Hovhaness' compositional techniques, they're somewhat interesting, and worth looking into.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Alan
• Hovhaness
• Four
• Harps
• Harp
• Ensemble
• Minimalist
• Indeterminate

[WC3POchannel10A]

@pazmashen Don't forget his strong Japanese influences. He was a great composer.

[carlolamberti1]

CONTINUIAMO ad analizzare l'incantevole musica di questo particolare compositore e, ci arricchiamo di suoni e timbri che sanno di lontano..., invitanti ad essere seguiti come fossimo attratti da un carisma di note meraviglioso, dove ogni timbro è vita, speranza arcàna di trovare quello che vorremmo ed intanto ci deliziamo di ascoltare anelando...

carlo lamberti

[pazmashen]

This is not 'bizarre' at all. Hovhaness used the vernacular of traditional, folk and classical Armenian music quite a bit. All you need to do is listen to Armenian kanun music and you will hear everything, because that is what he heard in his early life. The kanun is very much like the harp, only horizontal.

[rvaughanwilliams1988]

I have been giving this fascinating piece another listen ... I was struck that if a listener finds this piece outstanding among Hovhaness's output, they are really responding only to the novel instrumental context, which is indeed striking. The content as far as the music is concerned is very similar to many other Hovhaness pieces from this period, like Fra Angelico or Floating World.

[avivagabriel]

@MuseDuCafe : Thanks for your recommendations for further harp music to hear, and for the John Cage composition. Looking forward to exploring...

[avivagabriel]

Intoxicating. Enchanting. I'll follow your advice, and go investigate Hovhaness' compositional techniques... Thank you!

[MuseDuCafe]

You took the words out of my mouth: if not the last, one of the least expected of composers on your site. The texture is attractive / fascinating.

I'd recommend Robert Moran's "Ten Miles High Over Albania" for eight amplified Harps... :-)

If not redundant, and already in your catalogue, John Cage's HPSCHD... needs an airing.

Again, you can be relied upon as consistent, and consistently surprising.

[rvaughanwilliams1988]

wow I haven't heard this one thanks for the upload