Hovhaness:Mysterious Mountain & Lousadzak/Harrison:Elegiac Symphony

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Harrison is a true American original. During his long life, he's worked as a journalist, florist, calligrapher, dancer, and much else besides. He's one of several California based composers who looked to Oriental music for inspiration, and he's studied both Japanese and Korean traditional music. His symphony shows all of these inspirations, as well as his love of beautiful sounds, plangent melodies, exotic percussion sonorities, and structural simplicity. If you don't know his music, then you should acquire this disc, the Piano Concerto (also performed by Keith Jarrett), and the ballet Solstice without delay. You're in for a major treat. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Mysterious Mountain, Op. 132 (Symphony No. 2): Andante
Mysterious Mountain, Op. 132 (Symphony No. 2): Double Fugue: Moderator maestoso
Mysterious Mountain, Op. 132 (Symphony No. 2): Double Fugue: Allegro vivo
Mysterious Mountain, Op. 132 (Symphony No. 2): Double Fugue: Andante espressivo
The Fairy's Kiss: Divertimento: Sinfonia
The Fairy's Kiss: Divertimento: Danses suisses
The Fairy's Kiss: Divertimento: Scherzo
The Fairy's Kiss: Divertimento: Pas de deux
Lieutenant Kije - Symphonic Suite, Op. 60: The Birth Of Kije
Lieutenant Kije - Symphonic Suite, Op. 60: Romance
Lieutenant Kije - Symphonic Suite, Op. 60: Kije's Wedding
Lieutenant Kije - Symphonic Suite, Op. 60: Troika
Lieutenant Kije - Symphonic Suite, Op. 60: The Burial Of Kije

Amazon.com

Most people became acquainted with Hovhaness's greatest symphony, Mysterious Mountain (Symphony 2), through this recording when it appeared on vinyl during the Stone Age. It plays like an extended prayer and is oddly structured. It was an immediate hit when it appeared in 1955. Stravinsky's The Fairy's Kiss is a 1928 ballet commission that, quite intentionally, recalls Tchaikovsky and was written to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his death. Last here is a bang-up reading of Serge Prokofiev's classic Lieutenant Kije Suite. If you want to turn a young person onto classical music, play this disc. Worked with me. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Sublime.......2007-07-01

Taking into account Mysterious Mountain. There are some noticable crackling early on, which I attribute to the age of the recording, but the performance is great. Very grand.....inspirational.

Try to find a better recording than this. Go ahead, I'll wait........2007-04-24

At the moment I have over 1000 cd's of music of every sort though mostly western classical, and I have no problem recommending this before any of them. This piece of music by Alan Hovhaness is easily the most simply beautiful thing I have ever heard and never fails to inspire and uplift upon repeated listenings. The performance here by Reiner and The Chicago Symphony is virtuosic and sensitive, revealing the hidden details of this seemingly simple piece of music. This is THE recording to own of this work, no competition. However, don't let this be your only recording of music by Hovhaness. Don't let shallow comments like "All his music sounds the same" or he "re-wrote this symphony 60 more times," keep you from further explorations of Hovhaness' music. Odd that those same criticisms aren't raised with the music of Haydn and Mozart... The performance of the Stravinsky work is equally impressive. The superb solo and ensemble playing of the Chicago musicians under Reiner reveal the characters and colors of this lesser known Stravinsky work. This is a recording I have treasured for years and I have no doubts that you will as well. Highest Recommendation!

Fire and Ice: Fritz Reiner's Legacy Lives On.......2006-05-09

For many of us some of the most thrilling recordings during the 1950s and 1960s were those made by Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The magic that happened between conductor and orchestra is legendary. Fortunately we are seeing more of his recordings remastered and made available to a new audience on CD.

This CD remastering of the old 1955 recording is a terrific example. This is probably the most eloquent recorded performance of Armenian American Alan Hovhaness' Symphony No.2 (better known as 'Mysterious Mountain'). Hovhaness created some lushly atmospheric works that have somehow slipped into the realm of 'old style' and therefore are not performed frequently. But this performance of Symphony No. 2 should bring back some to the fold. The recorded sound of this extended poem is lush and full-bodied and Reiner moves the blocks of strings movements like few others can.

Keeping in line with his penchant for embracing new and old works this CD includes an abbreviated but well played 'Divertimento', Stravinsky's own symphonic suite from his Tchaikovskyesque ballet 'The Fairy's Kiss'. This is not one of Stravinsky's more memorable scores and is far better represented in the violin/piano transcription, but Reiner makes it work well in the few moments he includes here.

Prokofiev's suite from 'Lieutenant Kije' fares very well in Reiner's bristling and tongue in cheek reading. This is a romp of a performance and one that should please even the most 'anti-contemporary music' friends you may have! But the glory of the recording is the respect Reiner pays to Hovhaness and for this it is worth the purchase. Grady Harp, May 06

Mountaintop Experience.......2006-04-26

For many, climbing a mountain (or a hill) is more than a physical exercise. Amercian composer Alan Hovhaness recognized that there is a spiritual quality to being on top of a mountain, perhaps going back to the Biblical example of the three disciples who joined Jesus Christ on a mountain. Simon Peter said, "Lord, it is good for us to be here." Mountains can be a place for meditation and reflection.

In his second symphony, which he called "Mysterious Mountain," Alan Hovhaness imagined a mountain where one could indeed have a spiritual experience. Perhaps this was his vision of an IDEAL mountain, certainly a place to get away from things and spend time in contemplation. There's no doubt that the symphony, which was premiered by Leopold Stokowski and the Houston Symphony in 1955 (on NBC television), is an uplifting piece. It is also very majestic and profound at times, setting a pattern for Hovhaness in the numerous symphonies he wrote in the years after 1955.

Fritz Reiner's remarkable recording of "Mysterious Mountain" was one of a series of incredible stereophonic recordings that RCA Victor made in Chicago's Orchestra Hall between 1954 and 1962. Using just three microphones and a triple-track tape recorder, RCA achieved outstanding results with a greater clarity than had been accomplished in earlier recordings. This particular recording remains a "high water" mark and is probably the definitive version of a magnificent work that can be quite inspirational. Yes, Hovhaness does represent a mountaintop experience and, some years later, he celebrated yet another mountain in his "Mount Saint Helens" symphony, recorded by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the volcano's violent 1980 eruption.

The lighter work on this disc is a top-notch performance of Igor Stravinsky's tribute to Peter Tchaikovsky, a divertimento drawn from the ballet "The Fairy's Kiss." Much in the same vein as Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty," this is magical, delightful, and enchanting music that is given a very fine interpretation by Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony. Although there are a few obvious quotes from the music of Tchaikovsky, much of the score is a homage to the earlier composer that represents his considerable imagination and musical abilities.

Stravinsky (1882-1971) once said, "Of all of us, Tchaikovksy was the most Russian." Stravinsky once glimpsed Tchaikovsky, just before the premiere of the sixth symphony in 1893, and was left forever with an image of a tragic but very gifted composer/conductor. Reiner's recording is a very good representation of this musical tribute.

One of the first recordings this writer ever heard by Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony was their performance of the orchestral suite that Sergei Prokofiev prepared from his film score for "Lt. Kije," based on a classic Russian tale of a mythical Russian Army officer created by a bureaucratic error. The satirical qualities of the story were not lost on Prokofiev, who readily composed music that suited the various episodes of the lieutenant's supposed life.

Reiner's interepretation of this delightful music was thoroughly enjoyable, even if it omits the baritone solo in the original score (included in Seiji Ozawa's Deutsche Grammophon recording with the Boston Symphony).

The score begins with a mysterious, haunting theme representing the birth of Kije; this music is later repeated, in a somewhat altered version, for Kije's death. Along the way, we hear a delightful, appropriately martial, march; an exquisite and intense love theme; a grandiose, pompous wedding celebration; and a furious sleigh ride. All of this is played extremely well by the Chicago musicians and, once again, the ground-breaking stereophonic recording still has a remarkably modern sound.

"Mysterious Mountain" has aged badly, but the Stravinsky and Prokofiev live on.......2006-01-17

On LP the original pairing was Hovhaness's Mysterious Mountain (Sym. #2) and the Divertimento that Stravinsky put together form his full-length ballet tribute to Tchaikovsky, The Fairy's Kiss. The title echoes the plot of Sleeping Beauty, and Stravinsky reaches out of bounds, exchanging everything modernist for an affectionate tunefest mildly in the style of The Firebird's quiet bits. Frankly, it's a bit cloying even in this abbreviated suite. Reiner helps things by condcuting with sober precision and giving us sugar substitute instead of sugar.

The Hovhaness work is from 1955 (Reiner's account came two years later, although the RCA Living Stereo sound could be from yesterday), and it proved to be the composer's fifteen minutes of fame. Writing the same piece twice is excusable, but Hovhaness went on to write Mysterious Mountain dozens of times over, never advancing by a single jot or tittle beyond its modal string harmonies, simple fugues, plangent prayers to heaven, and a noticeable aversion to modernity. These qualities went down very well for a brief period, and here he gets the superstar treatment from Reiner and the CSO. If I had been Hovhaness, I would have played this recording every day of my life.

The Lt. Kije Suite comes from 1958 and is so famous that there's not much to say. Reiner always played Prokofiev without a Slavic accent, and although the CSO sounds totally mid-West here, their virtuosity, even in simple movie music like this, is thrilling.

Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountain/And God Created Great Whales

Average customer rating:

Alan Hovhaness and some very big friends
M.M. version mediocre; St. Gregory performance Excellent.
Entering the Realm of Alan Hovhaness
A Stimulating Hovhaness Sampler
Hovhaness Is An American Original

Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountain/And God Created Great Whales

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 60; Guitar Concerto; Khrimian Hairig
Hovhaness: Symphony Nos. 22 "City of Light Symphony" & 50 "Mount St. Helens Symphony"

ASIN: B0000006ZD
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

Mysterious Mountain-Symphony No.2: I. Andante con moto
Mysterious Mountain-Symphony No.2: II. Double Fugue
Mysterious Mountain-Symphony No.2: III. Andante espressivo
Prayer of St. Gregory
Prelude & Quadruple Fugue
And God Created Great Whales
Alleluia & Fugue
Celestial Fantasy

Customer Reviews:

Alan Hovhaness and some very big friends.......2007-02-04

This is a brilliant work combining the compositional artistry of Alan Hovhaness with the music from the orchestra of the sea, the great whales themselves. To be listened to over and over again as there are always some new nuances that won't have been heard on previous visits.

M.M. version mediocre; St. Gregory performance Excellent........2006-07-21

Of the two pieces I care most about on this recording, my ears received them very differently.

On a positive note, the performance of St. Gregory's Prayer is transcendentally beautiful... liquid joy... outstanding.

I'm less enthusiastic about the Seattle Symphony's reproduction of the Mysterious Mountain here. Perhaps I am biased in favor of Fritz Reiner's Chicago interpretation, having heard that many times first. Regardless, I think a lot of listeners would have to agree with me that this Seattle production truly rushes through the suite, barely sampling the incredible potential of the composition. They simply move through it much too fast. So much of the power of Mysterious Mountain is intimately linked to its cadence, and to rush a piece like this is to drain it of most of its glory. The rendition excels technically, but the spirit comes out flat.

St. Gregory's Prayer is worth the purchase of this disc, but for a better Mountain, get the Chicago recording.

As for Great Whales, there's something good in hearing a symphony with the Pacific Ocean at its doorstep waxing Cetacean. Unfortunately this poetic justice does not suffice to make this piece worth frequent listening. It does succeed as a curiosity and a nice jog of the ear if you've fallen into a rut.

Entering the Realm of Alan Hovhaness.......2006-06-16

Like other reviewers here, I flipped on the radio one night & caught the tail-end of "Mysterious Mountain" and was thunderstruck by the beauty pouring out of my speakers. I strained to catch the name of the composition and the composer: Alan Hovhaness...Mysterious Mountain. That night was a revelation to me and the beginning of my explorations into the musical realm of Mr. Hovhaness. Several CD's later, I still return to this one. All of the selections here are wonderful with the possible exception of the composition, "And God Created The Great Whales"... I have never been able to latch onto that one, but that is just me. Otherwise, this CD is absolutely superb; the music is richly textured and satisfying. Highly recommended.

A Stimulating Hovhaness Sampler.......2006-05-04

Boy, it's amazing how different sets of ears hear things differently! I was just musing on the purity of sound that the Seattle strings are able to produce on this disc, nimble and without the heaviness that some more famous string bodies under certain conductors (say, Philadelphia under Ormandy or Sawallisch) would proffer. And I was further thinking that Delos' clean, clear recording was a big help, especially in the "Prayer to Saint Anthony," where the lonely sound of solo trumpet is etched against the accompanying strings. Then I read the comments by others on this page and am amazed to read that some think the sound on this disc "tinny...muddy." Obviously, I don't agree.

As to the performances, Schwarz seems to me a master Hovhaness interpreter, as other performances from Seattle and elsewhere have proved. I, too, recall the classic recording of "Mysterious Mountain" with Reiner, and I think Schwarz yields nothing to Reiner in terms of depth of feeling or any other musical criteria. Schwarz's is a lovely performance, with all the required mystery and majesty of this seminal piece intact.

In other hands than Hovhaness's, "God Created Great Whales" could have emerged as a one-trick pony of a piece. I happen to think that Rautavaara's "Cantus Arcticus," mentioned by at least one other reviewer, comes far closer to this downfall. I find that Rautavaara's music is no more or less interesting than, nor does it shed special light on, the recorded bird sounds in his piece. As you can guess, I'm not a great admirer of the Finnish composer. But Hovhaness manages to mirror the sounds of the whales, in both the strings and brass (hard feat!) in such a way that we come to appreciate the remarkable communicativeness of these great beasts of the sea. At least I do. Plus, the technique that Hovhaness employs--a rare foray into aleatory music--is in the service of the work's program: the emergence of the earth from primordial chaos.

Of the other pieces on this disc, I find "Prelude and Quadruple Fugue" the most memorable. A dry, pedantic name perhaps, but not a dry piece: the fugue manages to be both very traditional and very modern, which is true of Hovhaness's best music. As I say, Schwarz, Seattle, and Delos all do Hovhaness full justice on this CD.

Hovhaness Is An American Original.......2006-03-27

Alan Hovhaness is probably one of the most underrated, unappreciated composers this country has ever produced. How unappreciated? I've been a passionate lover of classical music for fifteen years, took a few courses in my undergrad years on music theory and the history of music in the West, have been a season ticket holder in more than one city's philharmonic/orchestras, and it was not until about five years ago that I heard of Hovhaness--and even then it was only because I so happen to listen to his Symphony No. 2 (`Mysterious Mountain') on a local public radio station during classical music hour.

The first time I heard `Mysterious Mountain,' I almost mistook it for Dvorak or Smetana. Hovhaness might have lived in the 20th century, but his compositional approach and philosophy was very much in the mold of the 19th century romantics. It is grandiose in style, haunting and yet beautifully majestic in sound, and it never ceases to amaze me every time I listen to it.

The remaining pieces of music, particularly the Prayer of St. Gregory and Alleluia and Fugue, betray Hovhaness's earlier work as a composer of music (and organist) for the Armenian Church. It surprises me still that more of his music is not played, although he is best known for Mysterious Mountain (a symphony that was composed and premiered in 1955). This CD itself is an excellent addition to any classical music collection and a must for anyone wanting to discover more about American composers.

Williams: The Five Sacred Trees (Bassoon Concerto) / Takemitsu: Tree Line / Hovhaness: Symphony No. s, Op. 132 "Mysterious Mountain" / Picker: Old and Lost Rivers

Average customer rating:

"Old and Lost Rivers" by Picker will even make the strongest of men shed tears
From Nature's Realm
MODERN MUSIC OF BEATHTAKING BEAUTY
What a nice surprise!!!
Wonderful Celebration of Trees

Williams: The Five Sacred Trees (Bassoon Concerto) / Takemitsu: Tree Line / Hovhaness: Symphony No. s, Op. 132 "Mysterious Mountain" / Picker: Old and Lost Rivers
John Williams , Toru Takemitsu , Alan Hovhaness , Tobias Picker , Judith LeClair , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029TZ
Release Date: 1997-03-18

Tracks:

I. Eo Mugna
II. Tortan
III. Eo Rossa
IV. Craeb Uisnig
V. Dathi
Tree Line
I. Andante Con Moto
Double Fugue (Moderato Maestoso, Allegro Vivo)
Andante Espressivo
Old And Lost Rivers

Customer Reviews:

"Old and Lost Rivers" by Picker will even make the strongest of men shed tears .......2006-10-04

Caught "Old and Lost Rivers" the other day for the first time on the radio and I immediately fell in love with the piece. I went ahead and picked up this CD this weekend and, it was even more moving than the first time I heard "Old and Lost Rivers" the other day on the radio. I cannot get over how little we've heard of Tobias Picker! If he cranked out more like this, he could have easily been the next Copeland. At any rate, even the most stout hearted person will give way to tears at the touching, yet uplifting melody of "Rivers". I guess what made it even more touching was the fact that lately I have been trying to reach out to this girl in Montreal who has HIV and was emotionally negleted and possibly sexually abused when growing up. Thinking of this, along with listening to the tear-jerking melody of "Rivers", I'm not to proud to admit that I cried a whole lot of "old and lost rivers". It has to be the most saddening piece I have heard next to Samuel Barber's "Adagio". Anyway, I highly recommend this CD to anyone with an ear for touching, yet inspiring music. Well worth your time and money.

From Nature's Realm.......2006-10-02

For those moments of reverie, escape form the frenetic pace of the world in which we live and run, for those times when space form all that is needed this stunning album of music is a must. John Williams conducts the London Symphony Orchestra in his own work as well as works by Takemitsu, Hovhaness, and Picker that at first ground us to the memory of what truly counts in life and proceeds to lift the soul out of the state of pixelation and return it to the realm of nature, the place where all things relate.

John Williams' own Concerto for bassoon & orchestra "The five sacred trees" occupies the greater part of this CD and while it may not be great classical music, it is hauntingly moody, and quite simply beautiful music. Judith LeClair plays the solo parts with exceptional balance and technical aplomb. In keeping with the concept of musically painting trees, Williams programs 'Tree Line, for chamber orchestra' by Toru Takemitsu and once again we can readily relate to this gifted composer's union with nature.

Alan Hohvaness' Symphony No.2 (better known simply as 'Mysterious Mountain') enjoys more exposure than his other works and for good reason. His chordal structure pulses his work with grandeur as well as simplicity and of the current recordings available of this work, Williams enters the arena of the fine ones.

For this listener the joy of the CD is the Tobias Picker 'Old and Lost Rivers for orchestra', a wholly tonal composition of spare beauty and superb writing. Though short, this work transports with its ability to conjure images relevant to everyone's past. It is a wondrous work. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 06

MODERN MUSIC OF BEATHTAKING BEAUTY.......2004-04-23

This disc contains great performances of some of the finest examples of sheer beauty in 20th century music that I've heard in some time - in a recording of exceptional quality. It's a wonderful opportunity for those who equate `20th century music' with `cacophony' and `discord' to experience how incredibly beautiful it can be. I discovered it while browsing - the Ansel Adams cover photography caught my eye, which then widened when I saw the bassoon reference prominently displayed (one of my favorite instruments).

The title piece, a concerto for bassoon and orchestra by John Williams, takes up roughly half the disc. The five-movement composition is an homage to the majestic and sacred qualities of trees. Williams says he wrote the concerto with the bassoon in mind, believing it to be `haunted' by `the spirit of the tree from which it is made'. Utilizing Celtic imagery and titles, each of the five movements evokes one of the legendary trees featured in the mythology of that ancient culture. The mood and tone of each section reflects the characteristics attributed to those trees: the sturdiness of the oak; Tortan, the mythical tree associated with witchcraft; the yew, symbol of destruction and creation; the ash, symbolic of strife; and Dathi, the tree-muse of poets and the last tree to fall in the mythological Celtic forest, appropriately placed at the end of the program. Williams translates his reverence for the forest into his music skillfully and with great feeling, and the performance by Judith LeClair and the LSO complement his vision perfectly, bringing the `personality' of each of the movements to life with sensitivity and passion.

Toru Takemitsu has long been one of my favourite modern composers - I discovered his work back in the 1970s, and I soon learned that I could count on the intelligence and quality his music. It has never failed to both challenge and reward me. Listening to the work included here, `Tree line', I'm amazed at the complexity and delicacy represented in this short (under ten minutes) example of his work - I've often compared his compositions to the work of traditional Japanese brush artists, whose works achieve so much with apparently so few strokes. The beauty of the haiku form of poetry also comes to mind. Takemitsu was a master at combining the ancient spirituality and traditions of Japan with modern classical music.

I haven't heard much by Alan Hovhaness - an oversight I plan to correct. The piece which represents this composer here, his Symphony no. 2 (`Mysterious mountain') is, I'm told by a friend who is well-schooled in classical music, one of his most widely appreciated. An American composer who pioneered the `fusion' of western and eastern ideas and traditions, his writing as showcased here is breathtakingly beautiful - I was especially taken with the layers-upon-layers sound of the strings. The notes here indicate that this piece was intended to pay homage to the great American landscape painters of the 19th century Hudson River School - and it evokes the images they captured on canvas beautifully.

The last piece on the CD is `Old and lost rivers' by Tobias Picker - another composer with whose work I am sadly unfamiliar. The shortest work on the album (under five minutes), it's a masterful exercise in tranquility and beauty. It certainly makes me want to seek out more compositions by Picker.

The four pieces presented here go together perfectly in theme and mood - and the recording is of stellar quality, made crystal clear through the full digital recording process, which utilizes the 20-bit technology. The notes are informative and well-written, and the graphics are appropriate and lovely. It's a wonderful package for multiple senses.

What a nice surprise!!!.......2004-04-15

First of all, I must confess that I noticed this album just because I found it at an incredible low price! Then, I noticed that the cover artwork was quite interesting too (forgive me, but being a designer I am an extremely visual person)! Then, I found that it had something by Takemitsu (whose work I really like)!...So, I decided to give it a try! When I got home and listened to it, I realized what a great album this really is! What a nice surprise!!!

Williams' bassoon concerto ("The Five Sacred Trees") is a very nice work! It sounds absolutely different from his film music! Don't expect any "Star Wars" or "Jaws" theme to pop up! Oh, and the soloist (Judith LeClair) plays beautifully!!!

Takemitsu's "Tree Line" is quite nice too, just as I was expecting it to be! But, the real surprises here were the gorgeous Second Symphony by Hovhaness and "Old and Lost Rivers" by Tobias Picker!!! I was curious about these two composers, and now I'm quite delighted to have finally been able to listen to their work!

This album has a very atmospheric, ethereal and somehow mystical feel about it! It is relaxing without being boring, it is modern without being difficult to listen to, it is surprising without being weird! This is a great album indeed!!!

Wonderful Celebration of Trees.......2003-09-12

Williams is profound composer of our time. Here, outside of his normal mode of soundtrack, Williams excels. His composition to the Five Trees is diverse, high arching, swaying sounds concentrated in a double-reed instrument which holds its very essence from trees, cane and maple, et al.

These five contrasts surround profound,passionate bassoon playing of Judith LeClair. Especially fond of opening "Eo Mugna" and harp featured "Eo Rossa."

In Takemitsu's "Tree Line" we have colorstudded musical idiom intermingled with Oriental and Debussy like shinings. While some reviewers are not encanted with this style, its shimmerings and stylistics tone patches capture this reviewers ear. I enjoy this.

Hovhaness excels in sublime aura sound, much what feeling of mountains provide, stark, reaching, soaring, echoing. I liked this offering very much, well done under Williams by the London Symphony Orchestra. Especially grandeur is tymp playing, which is so controlled, and creates sublimity. His use of oboe is exquisite on opening Adante..grandeur and majesty that opens up and envelopes one upon first viewing mountain rising up before one's field of vision.

"Old and Lost Rivers" images flows and tributaries and ebb/flow, gushing to the drought. From urbania to bayous to the oceans, this hydrophonic composition exhibits tranquility and dynamicism of the very fabric of life.

Customer Reviews:

Alan Hovhaness.......2004-05-31

Alan Hovhaness is quite a "comfort zone" composer. This particular collection is very pleasent and well ballanced. I recommend it, especially since the sound is particularly good on it.

Just a bit worse than the first volume.......2003-01-07

Alan Hovhaness's music tends to not be very memorable, however it IS highly emotional and I can never say it's inherently bad. This compilation contains his most popular piece, Symphony #2 "Mysterious Mountian", as well as many other pieces, most of which is the only recording.

Beyond Mysterious Mountain, which gets a pretty good performance here, the highlight is easily Sympohny #50 "Mount St. Helens". This work portrays the eruption in 1980 that Hovhanes actually was close enough to to experiance its backlash. The first two movements are typical laid back Hovhanness, very pretty. The third movement, however, just ROARS with exceitment, and just does not stop. Wonderful.

Amoung the other selections, 'And God Created Great Whales' is a very interesting piece that includes tape music of whales, and is somewhat aleatoric in nature (chance music). Prelude and Quadruple Fugue is very nice example of an orchestral fugue, while Alleluia and Fugue goes more toward the choral direction and is very pretty.
As this is at twofer pricing, it's a very good buy, unless you already have some of the CDs these recordings were taken from. However, make sure to also get the other volume.

Stunning and diverse--a whole world of beautiful music.......2001-03-04

I actually purchased this album for the Hovhaness piece "Mysterious Mountain," which I played with a student orchestra in 1994. This piece is breathtaking and is not afraid to use slightly odd and unexpected harmonies to convey the sense of a very large and beautiful mountain--from the point of view of someone who is flying over and around it at great speed. It's really a great piece and I wish it were longer. But the fact that there are so many other good pieces on this record makes it a good classical music buy any way you look at it.

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Blue Ridge Parkway

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountain/And God Created Great Whales
Blue Wheat

ASIN: B0009OUB1U
Release Date: 2005-06-28

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Simple Gifts From Appalachian Spring - Philharmonia Virtuosi
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The Nature Of America: A Musical Impression

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A Very Peaceful CD For These Very Troubled Times
The Nature Of America: A Musical Impression
A Soothing CD

The Nature Of America: A Musical Impression

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | New Age | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Environmental | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

American Adagios
Beautiful Hollywood
Windham Hill America
Great Movie Scores: The Films of Steven Spielberg
Country Serenity

ASIN: B000003D2V
Release Date: 1997-09-23

Tracks:

'Sunrise'
'Corral Nocturne' - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Themes
Main Theme - William Tritt
'Arctic Whale Hunt'
'Anhran' - Carol Wincente
Andante Con Moto - Jesus Lopez-Cobos
Adagio
Theme
Shenandoah (Across The Wide Missouri)
Appalachian Spring (Excerpt) - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
'Feather Theme' - Steven Reineke
'Dear Father'
CD Rom Track - Eric Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

A Very Peaceful CD For These Very Troubled Times.......2002-01-03

This CD surprised me when I first listened to it. It is among the most beautiful and peaceful music I have ever listened to. The song, "Dear Father", written by Neil Diamond for the movie, Johnathan Livingston Seagull, is my absolute favorite on the entire CD. All songs on this CD are beautiful and it is a very good value for the money. It's nice to be surprised by a CD now and then. This album is very soothing and is wonderful when you need to unwind and want to relax. Great to listen to before bedtime or as you are dropping off to sleep. I recommend this CD for all considering the fact that we live in very troubled times since the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks on the USA.

The Nature Of America: A Musical Impression.......2001-01-09

This is a very good sampler of contemporary American composers, weighted more towards those writing for the movie industry. The music is very relaxing, and is quite enjoyable to sit back and listen to. The tracks are generally quite recognizable. We purchased this initially as a gift for some French friends. But we enjoyed it so much, we ended up buying a copy for ourselves.

A Soothing CD.......2000-10-23

I found this cd to be one of my favorites to pull of the shelf when I am doing meditation or just in need of relaxing. Track 8 is my favorite. The strings are just beautiful and the melody heart warming and soothing at the same time. As much as I love the cd, I must give 3 stars because of the lack of nature sounds accompanied by the music. If you want a cd filled with the sounds of nature this may not be the one for you, however, if you simply wish a good cd with relaxing music then I would highly recommend this cd.

Average customer rating:

Good intro to Hovhaness
Good performances and sound, trite music

Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountains

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Customer Reviews:

Good intro to Hovhaness.......2007-06-13

I first heard Mysterious Mountain by Alan Hovhaness on a local classical station. Even through my ancient, tinny cassette radio, the music came across rich and captivating, and I put it on my must-buy list. Now that a couple of years has passed and I've finally heard the recording properly, I'm even more impressed.

Hovhaness' works on this album are both simple and grand, complex and humble, and I'd guess very approachable to a wide variety of listeners. His harmonic motion compels with rich orchestration, highlighted with moments of delicious and sometimes excruciating delicacy.

While Mysterious Mountains brought me to this CD--and is still wonderful, as is Hymn to a Glacier Peak--his Symphony No. 50, Mount St. Helens, has become my Hovhaness favorite.

I have a weak spot for the real Mount St. Helens, images of whose eruption filled my childhood imagination and contributed to my ongoing fascination with the natural world. Hovhaness nailed the emotions and imagery of the volcano and its surrounding scenery; though the third movement's portrayal of the eruption itself starts off rough, the finale wraps up the movement and entire symphony with just the right flavor of rebirth and majesty. I now count this among my favorite tone poems, and I look forward to finding more of his works to enjoy.

Haven't heard Hovhaness before? If you like Gorecki, Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, Copland or Bernstein, give him a shot.

Good performances and sound, trite music.......2003-07-31

For those who don't know his music, Hovhaness was an Armenian-Amercian who wrote like a sort of middle-eastern cut-priced cross between Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, Howard Hanson and Mussorgsky. Sometimes the results are melodious and spectacular-sounding, and at times these peices contain some of those results. At others, and at too many times in the pieces on this cd, the results are trite and embarrassing and more reminiscent of Leroy Anderson (of playful pizzicato infamy) and Ferde Grofe (Grand Canyon suite) as well as a particularly trite (or comedy) western. There are times when you just know he didn't know what to do next so just threw in a glockenspeil or the tubular bells or a couple of harps for a bit of colour and effect.
It is true that there are some lovely sounds here, but you're still better off with RVW and co, - get the real thing, accept no substitutes.

And the sound is very good, with a natural soundstage. The recording copes well with some demanding passages, but to be honest, I didnt find it up to the best standards of the Telarc house. Not only does Hovhaness overuse pizzicatos on double basses and cellos but the recording gives them a fairly homogenous reverberant sound which tends to blur other string detail.

The performances are good, - Schwartz loves this music and has passed some of that affection on to his excellent Liverpool orchestra, just as he did in Seattle.

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 - Pastoral (I. Awakening Of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival In The Country) - Cleveland Orchestra
From Holberg's Time Suite, Op. 40 (I. Prelude) - London Festival Orchestra
Symphony No. 2, Op. 43 (I. Allegretto) - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Symphony No. 2 - Mysterious Mountain (I. Andante Con Moto) - London Symphony Orchestra
Concierto De Aranjuez (Adagio) - David Burgess
Javelin - Boston Pops Orchestra
Symphony No. 3 - Sinfonia Espansiva (II. Andante Pastorale) - Olle Persson
Symphony No. 5, Op. 82 (III. Allegro Molto) - London Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Evocative Classical Masterworks Meld Nicely for the Scenic Open Road.......2006-09-20

I'm all for repackaging great music under the guise of something more digestible to the general public. That's why Sony Classical's Drive Time series is an intriguing marketing idea which groups classical pieces of a similar subgenre using a world-renowned roadway as the unifying theme. This one uses the Pacific Coast Highway as the constant imagery, and Gilbert Hetherwick (credited with the concept) and reissue producer Richard King have chosen pieces that have a pastoral, often Nordic feeling to them. Various world-class orchestras from London to the Boston Pops play the pieces impeccably under the batons of Lorin Maazel, John Williams and Sir Colin Davis among others.

The program opens appropriately with Beethoven's pastoral Symphony #6 (1808), which was actually subtitled "Recollections of Country Life", a stunning melding of woodwinds and strings somewhat similar in tone to Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". Then we get music from a brethren of Scandinavian masters. Finnish composer Jean Sibelius is well represented here with two pieces from his symphonies, the introductory Allegretto movement of #2 (1902) and the concluding Allegro Molto movement of #5 (1915), both of which show a strong sense of his dramatic use of folk melodies. There is the famous "Holberg's Time Suite" (1869) by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg with its fanciful opening flourish, as well as Danish composer Carl Nielsen's Symphony #3 (1911), which works beautifully within the sonata form.

There are three modern pieces, tonally compatible with the other compositions - Joaquín Rodrigo's beautiful piece for classical guitar and orchestra, "Concierto de Aranjuez" (1939) - my personal favorite of the entire disc, Alan Hovhaness' contemplative 1955 "Mysterious Mountain" (Symphony #2), and Michael Torke's exciting "Javelin" composed for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. All together, this is well over an hour of splendid music, and to Sony's credit, they do evoke the fog and cold breezes coming from the Pacific. Marketed as "specially mastered for the car audio experience", it is well worth keeping in your car CD case. Other CDs in this series include Route 66, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Autobahn.

Into The Light: Symphonic Expressions Of The Spirit

Average customer rating:

Beautiful...

Into The Light: Symphonic Expressions Of The Spirit

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Brubeck: To Hope! A Celebration
Classical Brubeck
Brubeck - The Gates of Justice (Milken Archive American Jewish Music)
American Adagios
The Queen

ASIN: B000003D2N
Release Date: 1997-08-26

Tracks:

I. Andante Con Moto
II. Double Fugue
III. Andante Expressivo
Fantasy On A Hymn
I. In My Distress
II. I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes
III. Dance For Joy
Into The Light
Death And Transfiguration

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful..........2002-03-29

I bought this album for Thomas Canning's "Hymn" after hearing the piece in the play "Worksong: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright". During the show, it was used in such a haunting fashion that listening to it along with the on stage action was enough to bring shivers to your body and goosebumps to your skin. It's one of my favorite classical pieces of music...

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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The Centennial Collection [Original recording remastered]

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Alias Boona [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Art of Elaine Bonazzi

At the Blackhawk [Live]

20 Éxitos Originales [Original recording remastered]

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