Hovhaness shahinyan biography of william

American composer (–)

Alan Hovhaness (;^[1] March 8, – June 21, ) was an American doer. He was one of say publicly most prolific 20th-century composers, involve his official catalog comprising 67 numbered symphonies (surviving manuscripts instruct over 70) and opus numbers.^[2] The true tally is convulsion over surviving works, since spend time at opus numbers comprise two bring in more distinct works.

The Beantown Globemusic critic Richard Buell wrote: "Although he has been conventional as a self-consciously Armenian designer (rather as Ernest Bloch even-handed seen as a Jewish composer), his output assimilates the refrain of many cultures. What hawthorn be most American about move away of it is the elegance it turns its materials be selected for a kind of exoticism.

Excellence atmosphere is hushed, reverential, unrevealed, nostalgic."^[3]

Name

After his mother's death (on October 3, ), the father began to use the family name "Hovaness" in honor of sovereignty paternal grandfather,^{[citation needed]} and disparate it to "Hovhaness" around Without fear stated the name change flight the original Chakmakjian reflected probity desire to simplify his reputation because "nobody ever pronounced dash right".^[4] However, Hovhaness' daughter Dungaree Nandi has written in minder book Unconventional Wisdom,^[5] "My father's name at the time show my birth was 'Hovaness', clear with accent on the extreme syllable.

His original name was 'Chakmakjian', but in the ruthless he wanted to get lighten of the Armenian connection captivated so changed his name endure an Americanized version of rulership middle name. Some years subsequent, deciding to re-establish his Asiatic ties, he changed the orthography to 'Hovhaness', accent on depiction second syllable; this was rectitude name by which he ulterior became quite famous."

Early entity and education

He was born similarly Alan Vaness Chakmakjian (Armenian: Ալան Յարութիւն Չաքմաքճեան)^[6] in Somerville, Colony, to Haroutioun Hovanes Chakmakjian (an Armenian chemistry professor at Tufts College who had been resident in Adana, Turkey) and Madeleine Scott (an American of English descent who had graduated pass up Wellesley College).

When he was five, his family moved hit upon Somerville to Arlington, Massachusetts. Smashing Hovhaness family neighbor said empress mother had insisted on stirring from Somerville because of prejudice against Armenians there.^[7]

Hovhaness was sympathetic in music from a grip early age. At the whittle of four, he wrote fulfil first composition, a cantata adjoin the early Italian style outstanding by a song of Franz Schubert.

His family was involved about his late-night composing mount about the financial future grace could possibly have as principally artist. He decided for expert short time to pursue physics, another of his early loves.^[8] The fascination of astronomy remained with him through his broad life and composing career, accommodate many works titled after several planets and stars.

Hovhaness's parents soon supported their son's mature composing, and set up wreath first piano lessons with ingenious neighborhood teacher. Hovhaness continued jurisdiction piano studies with Adelaide Examine and then Heinrich Gebhard. From end to end of age 14 he decided tablet devote himself to composition. Amid his early musical experiences were Baptist hymns and recordings delightful Gomidas Vartabed, an eminent Asiatic composer.

He composed two operas during his teenage years which were performed at Arlington Buoy up School, and composer Roger Composer took an interest in queen music during this time. Pursuing his graduation from high kindergarten in , he studied able Leo Rich Lewis at Tufts and then under Frederick Multicoloured at the New England Association of Music.

In , recognized won the Conservatory's Samuel Endicott prize for composition with potentate Sunset Symphony (elsewhere entitled Sunset Saga).

In July , Hovhaness traveled with his first old woman, Martha Mott Davis, to Suomi to meet Jean Sibelius, whose music he had greatly adored since childhood.

The two drawn-out to correspond for the exertion twenty years. In , Hovhaness named his daughter and exclusive child from his first matrimony Jean Christina Hovhaness after Denim Christian Sibelius, her godfather dominant Hovhaness's friend for three decades.

Destruction of early works

During influence s and s, Hovhaness pleasantly destroyed many of his trustworthy works.

He later claimed turn this way he had burned at lowest 1, different pieces, a method that took at least figure weeks;^[8] elsewhere he claimed prefer have destroyed around scores totaling as many as a copy pages.^[9] In an interview decree Richard Howard, he stated lapse the decision was based essentially on Sessions' criticism of wreath works of that period, near that he wanted to stamp a new start in composition.^[8]

Musical career

"Armenian Period"

Hovhaness became interested extort Armenian culture and music injure as organist for the Protest rally.

James Armenian Apostolic Church lead to Watertown, Massachusetts, remaining in that position for about ten age. In , he won keen scholarship at Tanglewood to con in Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů's master class. During a symposium in composition, while a video of Hovhaness's first symphony was being played, Aaron Copland talked loudly in Spanish to Latin-American composers in the room; paramount at the end of illustriousness recording Leonard Bernstein went earn the piano, played a euphonic minor scale and rebuked excellence work as "cheap ghetto music".^[10] Apparently angered and distraught get ahead of this experience, he left Tanglewood early, abandoning his scholarship tube again destroying a number cut into his works in the outcome of that major disappointment.^[11]

The jiffy year he devoted himself deal Armenian subject matter,^[12] in unswervingly using modes distinctive to Asiatic music, and continued in that vein for several years, completion some renown and the build of other musicians, including requisite critical experimentalist composer John Cage see choreographer Martha Graham, all rectitude while continuing as church organist.

Beginning in the mids, Hovhaness and two artist friends, Hyman Bloom and Hermon di Giovanno, met frequently to discuss religious and musical matters. All couple had a strong interest behave Indian classical music, and devaluation many well known Indian musicians to Boston to perform. By way of this period, Hovhaness learned take home play the sitar, studying traffic amateur Indian musicians living delete the Boston area.

Around , Bloom introduced Hovhaness to Yenovk Der Hagopian, a fine crooner of Armenian and Kurdish poet-singer songs, whose singing inspired Hovhaness.^{[citation needed]}

In one of several applications for a Guggenheim fellowship (), Hovhaness presented his credo swot the time of application:

I propose to create a valiant, monumental style of composition supple enough to inspire all common, completely free from fads, fictitious mannerisms and false sophistications, upfront, forceful, sincere, always original on the contrary never unnatural.

Music must rectify freed from decadence and languidness. There has been too unnecessary emphasis on small things dimension the great truths have archaic overlooked. The superficial must enter dispensed with. Music must expire virile to express big facets. It is not my determined to supply a few pseudo-intellectual musicians and critics with supplementary contrasti food for brilliant argumentation, nevertheless rather to inspire all human race with new heroism and ecclesiastical nobility.

This may appear relative to be sentimental and impossible access some, but it must promote to remembered that Palestrina, Handel crucial Beethoven would not consider beck either sentimental or impossible. Heavens fact, the worthiest creative talent has been motivated consciously selection unconsciously by the desire funds the regeneration of mankind.^[13]

Lou Thespian reviewed a concert of Hovhaness' music, which included his concerto for piano and strings, indulged Lousadzak:

There is almost fall to pieces occurring most of the lifetime but unison melodies and to a great extent lengthy drone basses, which quite good all very Armenian.

It esteem also very modern indeed block its elegant simplicity and determined modal integrity, being, in outcome, as tight and strong put in its way as a twelve-tone work of the Austrian class. There is no harmony either, and the brilliance and unrest of parts of the forte-piano concerto were due entirely pop in vigor of idea. It de facto takes a sound musicality curry favor invent a succession of inspirational ideas within the bounds faux an unaltered mode and destitute shifting the home-tone.^[14]

However, as beforehand, there were also critics:

The serialists were all there.

Pointer so were the Americanists, both Aaron Copland's group and Poet [Thomson]'s. And here was thought that had come out director Boston that none of nearby had ever heard of pivotal was completely different from either. There was nearly a confusion in the foyer [during intermission] — everybody shouting. A valid whoop-dee-doo.^[15]

Lousadzak was Hovhaness's first enquiry to make use of public housing innovative technique he called "spirit murmur", an early example fence aleatoric music inspired by adroit vision of Hermon di Giovanno.^[16] The technique, essentially similar profit the s ad libitum disorderly of Lutoslawski, involves instruments recapitulation phrases in uncoordinated fashion, oeuvre a complex "cloud" or "carpet" of sounds.^[16]

In the mids, Hovhaness' prestige in New York Seep into was helped considerably by branchs of the immigrant Armenian grouping who sponsored several high-profile concerts of his music.

This party, the Friends of Armenian Sonata Committee, was led by Hovhaness's friends Dr. Elizabeth A. Hildebrand, the Armenian American piano/violin matched set Maro Ajemian and Anahid Ajemian, and later by Anahid's hubby, pioneering record producer and substantial Columbia Records executive George Avakian. Their help led directly face many recordings of Hovhaness' euphony appearing in the s creation MGM and Mercury records, rating him firmly on the Indweller musical landscape.^{[citation needed]}

In May station June ,^[17] while staying proficient an Armenian family, Hovhaness sedate Etchmiadzin, an opera on prominence Armenian theme, which was guaranteed by a local Armenian church.^{[citation needed]}

Conservatory years

In he joined rectitude faculty of the Boston Seat of learning, teaching there until His rank there included the jazz musicians Sam Rivers and Gigi Gryce.^{[citation needed]}

Relocation to New York City

In Hovhaness moved to New Dynasty City, where he became expert full-time composer.

Also that harvest (starting on August 1), sharp-tasting worked for the Voice raise America, first as a writing book writer for the Armenian roast, then as director of strain, composer and musical consultant staging the Near East and Transcaucasian sections. He eventually lost that job (along with much admire the other staff) when Dwight D.

Eisenhower succeeded Harry Relentless. Truman as America president principal From this time on, closure branched out from Armenian strain, adopting styles and material deviate a wide variety of profusion. As documented in and , he received Guggenheim Fellowships hard cash composition. He wrote the evaluate for the Broadway play The Flowering Peach by Clifford Playwright in , a ballet transfer Martha Graham (Ardent Song, extremely in ), and two set aside for NBC documentaries on Bharat and Southeast Asia ( vital ).

Also during the mean, he composed for productions surprise victory The Living Theatre.

His essential breakthrough till then came scam , when his Symphony Ham-fisted. 2, Mysterious Mountain, was premiered by Leopold Stokowski in cap debut with the Houston Symphony,^[18] although the idea that Mysterious Mountain was commissioned for wander orchestra is a common misconception.^[19] That same year, MGM Archives released recordings of a circulation of his works.

Between celebrated , at the urging submit Howard Hanson, an admirer preceding his music, he taught summertime sessions at the Eastman Academy of Music long presided mull it over by Hanson. One of Hovhaness's students there was Dominick Argento, who described him as "by far the most spontaneous instruction prolific composer I ever knew."^[20]

Trips to Asia

From through Hovhaness conducted a series of research trips to India, Hawaii, Japan, playing field South Korea, investigating the antique traditional musics of these generosity, and eventually integrating elements conduct operations these into his own compositions.

His study of Carnatic refrain in Madras, India (–60), by way of which he collected over ragas, was sponsored by a Senator fellowship. While in Madras, significant learned to play the veena and composed a work patron Carnatic orchestra entitled Nagooran, poetic by a visit to ethics dargah at Nagore. This theme was performed by the Southbound Indian Orchestra of All Bharat Radio Madras and broadcast start All-India Radio on February 3, Hovhaness also compiled a relaxed amount of material on Carnatic ragas in preparation for elegant book on the subject, however never completed it.^{[citation needed]}

He hence studied Japanese gagaku music (learning the wind instruments hichiriki, shō, and ryūteki) in the rise of with Masatoshi Shamoto comprise Hawaii, and a Rockefeller Core grant allowed him further gagaku studies with Masataro Togi increase by two Japan (–63).

Also while encircle Japan, he studied and stiff the nagauta (kabuki) shamisen illustrious the jōruri (bunraku) shamisen. Wear recognition of the musical styles he studied in Japan, misstep wrote Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints, Op. (), a concerto on the way to xylophone and orchestra.^[21]

In he peaceful his second ballet score rep Martha Graham, entitled Circe.

He and his then wife redouble set up a record identification devoted to the release topple his own works, Poseidon Companionship. Its first release was envelop , with around 15 discs following over the next 10. Following their divorce, the spouse was granted ownership of class label but then either put on the market or transferred rights to that catalog to Crystal Records.^{[citation needed]}

In , as part of fastidious US government-sponsored delegation, he visited Russia as well as Soviet-controlled Georgia and Armenia, the nonpareil time he visited his concerned ancestral homeland.

While there, grace donated his handwritten manuscripts clone harmonized Armenian liturgical music toady to the Yeghishe Charents State Museum of Arts and Literature elaborate Yerevan.^{[citation needed]}

In the mids forbidden spent several summers touring Collection, living and working much indicate the time in Switzerland.

World view

Hovhaness stated in a conversation in Ararat magazine:^[6]

We are reconcile a very dangerous period. Surprise are in danger of destroying ourselves, and I have undiluted great fear about this&#; Distinction older generation is ruling nearly.

Julie condra et gunshot dacascos biography

I feel focus this is a terrible omen to our civilization. It's dignity greed of huge companies obscure huge organizations which control being in a kind of neat brutal way&#; It's gotten shoddier and worse, somehow, because fleshly science has given us excellent and more terrible deadly weapons, and the human spirit has been destroyed in so spend time at cases, so what's the let pass of having the most beefy country in the world hypothesize we have killed the force.

It's of no use.

Later life

Hovhaness was inducted into the Public Institute of Arts and Handwriting (), and received honorary Musd degrees from the University disregard Rochester (), Bates College () and the Boston Conservatory (). He moved to Seattle hem in the early s, where fair enough lived for the rest noise his life.

In , noteworthy composed his third and in reply ballet score for Martha Graham: Myth of a Voyage, mushroom over the next twenty maturity (between and ) he lay hold of no fewer than 37 contemporary symphonies.

He created a important work, The Rubaiyat, A Lyrical Setting in , which was for narrator and orchestra prep added to has been twice recorded.

Rubaiyat refers to the Rubaiyat lady Omar Khayyam, Persian mathematician, uranologist, and poet.^[22] The text consisted of a dozen of honourableness English quatrains from the paraphrase by Edward FitzGerald.

Continuing queen interest in composing for Dweller instruments, in , at description request of Lou Harrison, recognized composed two works for Country gamelan orchestra which were premiered by the gamelan at Pianist & Clark College, under nobility direction of Vincent McDermott.

Hovhaness was survived by his 6th wife, the coloratura soprano Hinako Fujihara Hovhaness (–),^[23] who administered the Hovhaness-Fujihara music publishing gathering, [1] as well as great daughter (from his first wife), harpsichordist Jean Nandi (b. ). He died in ^{[citation needed]}

Archives

Significant archives of Hovhaness materials, full scores, sound recordings, photographs contemporary correspondence are located at distinct academic centers, including Harvard Code of practice, the University of Washington, significance Library of Congress (Washington DC), the Armenian Cultural Foundation (Arlington, Massachusetts), and Yerevan’s State Museum of Arts and Literature deduct Armenia.

Partial list of compositions

Films

Films get on with Alan Hovhaness

• – Alan Hovhaness.

  Directed by Jean Walkinshaw, KCTS-TV, Seattle.

• – Whalesong. Directed uninviting Barbara Willis Sweete, Rhombus Media.
• – The Verdehr Trio: Goodness Making of a Medium. Information 1: Lake Samish Trio/Alan Hovhaness. Directed by Lisa Lorraine Hake, Michigan State University.
• – A Tribute to Alan Hovhaness.

  Total by Alexan Zakyan, Hovhaness Investigating Centre, Yerevan, Armenia.

Films with by Alan Hovhaness

• – Narcissus. Directed by Willard Maas.
• – Assignment: Southeast Asia. NBC-TV documentary.
• – Pearl Lang and Francisco Moncion dance performance: Black Marigolds.

  From the CBS television document Camera Three, presented in keep with the New York Return Education Department. Directed by Dock Havinga.

• – Nehru: Man game Two Worlds. From The 20th Century series; reporter: Walter Cronkite. A presentation of CBS News.
• – Tales From a Jotter of Kings: The Houghton Shah-Nameh.

  New York, New York: City Museum of Art and Time-Life Multimedia.

• – Everest North Wall. Directed by Laszlo Pal.
• – Winds of Everest. Directed from one side to the ot Laszlo Pal.
• – I Recollect Theodore Roethke. Produced and end by Jean Walkinshaw, KCTS Let slip Television, Seattle.

Notable students

For Hovhaness's imposing students, see List of symphony students by teacher: G chance on J §&#;Alan Hovhaness.

References

Further reading

• Howard, Richard (). The Works of Alan Hovhaness: Simple Catalog, Opus 1 – Work .

  Pro Am Music Reach a compromise. ISBN&#;

• Kostelanetz, Richard (). On Strange Music(ian)s. New York: Limelight Editions.
• Malina, Judith (). The Diaries be expeditious for Judith Malina, –. New York: Grove Press, Inc. ISBN&#;
• Rosner, Poet, and Vance Wolverton (). "Hovhaness [Hovaness], Alan [Chakmakjian, Alan Hovhaness]".

  The New Grove Dictionary lady Music and Musicians, second demonstration, edited by Stanley Sadie build up John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.

External links

Listening