Hovhaness: Guitar Concerto No. 2 / Symphony No. 63 / Fanfare for the New Atlantis
12/24/2008, 7 Tracks, 59:16
Featuring
Stewart Robertson
Javier Calderón
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Alan Hovhaness
Did you know?
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Composition History
Symphony No. 63 'Loon Lake' was commissioned by the New Hampshire Music Festival and the Loon Preservation Society, who specifically requested the sound of the loon cry be included.
Performer Biography
Javier Calderón, the virtuoso Bolivian-born guitarist on this recording, was awarded a scholarship to study with the legendary Andrés Segovia in Spain.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Hovhaness stood apart from modern composers by embracing melody, emotion, and classical forms, believing contemporary music should bring back the past while adding originality.
Recording & Production
All three works on this album — Fanfare for the New Atlantis, Guitar Concerto No. 2, and Symphony No. 63 'Loon Lake' — are world premiere recordings.
Compositional Technique
Symphony No. 63 'Loon Lake' incorporates two distinct bird-song themes, a loon and a hermit thrush, played by the piccolo, reflecting Hovhaness's childhood fascination with the hermit thrush.
Composition History
The Guitar Concerto No. 2 was commissioned by the famous Spanish guitarist Narciso Yepes, but its premiere was delayed until 1990 due to the tragic accidental death of Yepes's son.
Composer Biography
Alan Hovhaness was one of the most prolific composers of the twentieth century, composing 434 opuses including 67 symphonies, concertos, and various other works.
