| Out of curiosity I listened to a CD (Telarc CD-80392) entitled
"Celestial Gate". It contains Symphony #6 ("Celestial Gate"),
Prelude and Quadruple Fugue (Op 128) for Orchestra, Tzaikerk "Evening Song"
for flute/violin/tympani and string orchestra, Prayer of Saint Gregory -
for trumpet and string orchestra, Alleluia and Fugue (Op 40b), and
Concerto #7 (Op 116) for Orchestra.
Hovhaness has a very characteristic style as mentioned in earlier
replies. He has written over 400 separate pieces - 9 operas, 2
ballets, 60+ symphonies, 100 chamber pieces, almost 100 vocal works,
pieces for solo piano.
Maybe he writes his scores with CGM - computer generated music ?
He certainly has the mystical and eerie algorithms perfected.
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| Hovhaness' music, to my ears, sounds like well-done travelogue movie
music. Grand scale, lots of eye-catching vistas, and I don't care if I
never hear any of it again - it's eminently forgettable.
Your mileage may vary, of course. :-)
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