# Alan Hovhaness - where to go next?



## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

I have a cd of Fritz Reiner conducting Mysterious Mountain which I enjoy a lot. I am keen to hear a few more of his works, can anyone recommend a few good albums I should check out for some more of Mr Hovhaness mysterious tunes. There seem to be rather a few cds out there but I am not sure what are considered his key works besides Mysterious Mountain

Thanks!


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I´d go for these attractive, rather stylistically varied, works:

- "And God Created Great Whales" for tape & orchestra
- "Fra Angelico", symphonic poem for orchestra
- "St. Vartan Symphony"

also, have a look at:
- "Lousadzak", piano concerto
- "Vishnu Symphony"
- "Majnun Symphony"
- "Concerto for Orchestra no.7"


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

I'm a big fan of his crazy "Island of the Mysterious Bells," for 4 harps.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

In addition to the recommended Piano Concerto #1, _Lousadzak_, try to find his Violin Concerto #2. It was available for years on vinyl, first MGM, then Heliodor, with Carlos Surinach conducting the MGM studio orchestra and Anahid Ajemian, violin. It is a truly beautiful work. It is on Spotify, along with the definitive reading of Lousadzak by, again, Surinach and the MGM, with Maro Ajemian--who premiered the concerto. This vinyl needs to be remastered and reissued on CD--it is a superb pairing, in every sense.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

My personal favourite in his repertoire is Symphony No. 50, Op. 360, Mount St. Helens. It has the "mysterious tunes" but also quite some pepper.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

This is an interesting CD to complement your Mysterious Mountain recording:
https://www.amazon.com/Hovhaness-Symphony-Light-Mount-Helens/dp/B0000006YO

Another CD offers the main three mountain-themed symphonies if you do not mind having one more different performance of his Sym. No. 2:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008PROE

Also be sure to check out his No. 63, Loon Lake.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> My personal favourite in his repertoire is Symphony No. 50, Op. 360, Mount St. Helens. It has the "mysterious tunes" but also quite some pepper.


This was the first Hovhaness I heard, and I've not yet heard anything that matches it in my affections.

_Prayer for St Gregory_ is another that seems quite popular.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

The problem with Hovhaness is that he composed compulsively, creating an output of staggering proportions, and of rather uneven quality. I suggest surfing around on YouTube for a bit and sampling some of what is there before laying out cash for recordings. Unless you are rich, of course.


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

_Prayer for St Gregory_ is another that seems quite popular.[/QUOTE]

Justifiably, I think: it comes in various forms, but is most effective in a large church/cathedral setting. Arguably the best of his works? Possibly because it is short?


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## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

Great suggestions thanks everyone!


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