Alan Hovhaness: Œuvres pour piano

Featuring

François Mardirossian
Alan Hovhaness

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Composer Biography

Alan Hovhaness, born Alan H. Chakmakjian, adopted the surname Hovhaness after his mother's death in 1930, finding his birth name too complicated to pronounce.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Alan Hovhaness aimed to create music that was beautiful and healing, striving for what ancient Chinese painters called 'spirit resonance' in melody and sound.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Hovhaness's fierce attachment to tonality from the 1940s set him apart from his contemporaries and anticipated the return to tonality seen decades later in minimalist composers.

Compositional Technique

Hovhaness is considered a precursor to American minimalism, sharing characteristics like a return to tonality, regular pulse, repeated motifs, simple melodies, and fascination with Eastern cultures.

Composer Biography

Hovhaness was highly prolific, composing 37 symphonies between 1973 and 1992 alone, but he also burned many of his early works, reportedly over a thousand.

Recording & Production

For this recording, pianist François Mardirossian chose the Stephen Paulello Opus 102 piano, known for its unusual mechanical design, precise balance, and rich dynamic range.

Composer Biography

Hovhaness was nicknamed the "American Sibelius" due to similarities with Finnish composer Jean Christian Sibelius, including melodic generosity and nature-inspired lyricism in their symphonies.