Alan Hovhaness -- Saint Vartan Symphony

Three excerpts from 'Saint Vartan Symphony' by Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000), an American composer of Armenian heritage; Carlos Surinach conducting the MGM Chamber Orchestra on MGM Records long-play disc E3453, issued in 1956.
The liner notes, by MGM Classical's Artists & Repertory Director Edward Cole, explain that "the work was written in late 1950 preparatory to the celebration in the following year of the fifteenth hundred anniversary of the death of the Armenian warrior-saint Vartan Marmikonian. It memorializes at once the heroic death of the Saint and an inspiring act of faith by Armenian Christians as a whole. In the year 451, Armenia, historically the first country in the world to proclaim Christianity as a state religion, was menaced by a Persian invasion the design of which was to subdue this religious movement.... An Armenian army under Vartan... met a Persian force nearly four times as large.... Among the Armenian casualties was Vartan himself-- and the Persians seemed the winners. But, so violent had been Vartan's defense... that... thirty years later, the Persians held precariously to their control of Armenia only by granting its people religious freedom once again."
Although called a symphony, this work is not the kind of symphony fathered by Haydn and raised by Beethoven. More like a musical mosaic, it is divided into five parts, each containing separate sections-- Sections 1 through 6 comprise Part I; 7 through 10, Part II; 11 through 15, Part III; 16 through 20, Part IV; 21 through 24, Part V.
The three Sections I have selected for this video I believe representative of the work and indicative of Hovhaness's style.
First, Section 3, Aria, for horn and strings;
Second, Section 14, Lament, 'Death of Vartan', for trombone and piano; the visual is a depiction of Vartan;
Third, Section 24 [the finale], Estampie, for four trumpets, timpani, side drum, cymbals, tamtam, and strings; the visual is a 1955 photograph of Hovhaness.
The music suggests seemingly contradictory adjectives-- austere, yet approachable; ethereal, yet earthy; and, possibly most contradictory but most relevant, medieval, yet modern.
An excellent detailed biography of Hovhaness can be found at wikipedia.org.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Hovhaness
• Vartan
• Armenia
• Christianity
• Persia
• symphony

[kalixtus77]

Alan Hovhannes- one of the greatest American composers of the 20th century. Blessings be upon you for your gifts to humanity.

[telltree]

This final movement always gave me the chills. you just have to let go, sit quietly, and let it swirl around you. What an incredible composer.

[hekla1985]

Please!!! upload the complete symphony!

[toecutterr6]

Heard an Alan Hovhaness piece on the classic station, I've been looking for it but can't find it. I believe it was 'Sonnett for Strings'.