Hovhaness wrote 67
symphonies between 1937 and 1992 although
there was an eighteen year gap between
the first two. His website
has a discography that, if complete,
would seem to suggest that - despite
multiple recordings of the second and
sixth symphonies - rather than less
than half of the canon has yet been
recorded, and most of the later works
remained unrecorded. Indeed, before
this record was issued, the latest number
listed as being recorded was No. 53.
So, at bargain price in the American
Classics Series on Naxos, this is a
welcome opportunity to hear one of his
later symphonies. It is also a very
attractive looking programme with the
Guitar Concerto and a mini-trumpet concerto
providing the couplings in a sensible
order.
Khrimian Hairig
here fulfils the function of an overture.
It is an example of a relatively early
work harking back to composer’s Armenian
roots. Khrimian Hairig was an Armenian
priest and the music was inspired by
a portrait of him. Over a slow-burning
string accompaniment the solo trumpet
soon enters and plays an almost continuous
stream of mesmerising melody. Fine control
of line from the soloist is needed and
provided by Lars Ranch.
The Guitar Concerto
is as substantial as most in the genre.
It has not been recorded before and
is perhaps the most compelling reason
to acquire the disc. There are three
movements – each of the last two in
a faster tempo than its predecessor
but this music is never very fast. The
Largo opener is an extended rhapsody
with colourful but never over-intrusive
orchestration. An Andante espressivo
which follows has a timeless feel to
it but the finale must be a rhythmic
nightmare to play given the number of
changes of time signature (including
11/8) within a 50-odd bar melodic span.
But David Leisner copes admirably and
is a most sensitive soloist. Throughout
the work there is excellent rapport
between soloist and conductor, and the
guitar is most naturally balanced by
the engineers.
The Symphony No. 60
was commissioned by a commercial organisation
to celebrate the cultural heritage of
the state of Tennessee. It is in four
movements, the first and third of which
are in slow tempi. The programmatic
elements reflect Appalachian culture
as well as the mountains and the third
movement is based on the anonymously
composed song Parting Friends.
The first performance was apparently
a major disappointment to the composer
and plans to record it were shelved
- until now. The music is highly characteristic
of the composer and the brief third
movement is most memorable.
Conductor Gerard Schwarz
is a fine exponent of such music. I
presume the record was made in Germany
for pragmatic reasons but the Berlin
Radio Symphony Orchestra seem convinced.
There are admirable
programme notes by composer’s sixth
wife - that’s an average of about 11
symphonies per wife - the time he spent
composing may been relevant - and widow,
soprano Hinako Fujihara Hovhaness. These
reflect not only on the music but also
on the man and his philosophy that music
is "not for snobs but for all people".
But there is no need to say more because
they can be read in full here
(click on "About this recording").
This disc certainly
deserves to be widely heard and the
atmospheric Guitar Concerto is a real
find.
Patrick C Waller
see also Review
by Rob Barnett
Link
to further information about Hovhaness
on MusicWeb
Naxos American Classics
page
Lars Ranch (trumpet) 
