Armenian composers
May. 24th, 2008 08:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariLast night I went to the final concert of BMOP's regular season, which was a program of music by Armenian composers as a tribute to the late Alan Hovhaness, a Boston composer of Armenian descent.
Armenian Rhapsodies No. 1-3 - Alan Hovhaness
All three of these lovely pieces were based on Armenian folk music. The first was lush and attractive, but a bit like Bartok Lite. No. 3 was the simplest of the group, and didn't have a lot of contrast between the sections. My favorite was No. 2. which was darker and almost bitter, with sharper harmonies and more tension than the other two. It began with a stunning motif in the violas, which were then joined by the cellos.
Sinfonia No. 2 Un Poco Concertante - Vache Sharafyan
This was the only piece on the program that I did not like. It had some terrific orchestration, especially in its use of percussion and unusual techniques. It sounded great, but the form and content was unconvincing - even the development section was boring. There were too many lurching crescendos and muddy harmonies.. The piece also had a couple of solos for the duduk, an Armenian reed instrument that has a gorgeous sound somewhere between that of a breathy flute and a saxophone. However, I was disappointed by the fact that the composer chose to use a recorded duduk performance rather than live. It just seemed a bit like cheating to do that, especially for a world premier in a major city that has a notable Armenian population.
Three Arias: Sung Out the Window Facing Mount Ararat - Tigran Mansurian
I loved this piece for viola and orchestra. It was deeply beautiful, and Kim Kashkashian's performance was just perfect. Each of the three movements was slow in tempo, yet there was still plenty of contrast between them. Each also had a very distinct emotional character. The first was portentous and brooding, the second was had a slightly lilting melody that gave it a wistful feel, and the third had a tinge of longing and wonder. The last movement also made great use of mallet percussion.
Exile Symphony - Alan Hovhaness
This work had a wonderful opening: a series of sinuous and hypnotic wind solos accompanied by the entire string section strumming their instruments. The melodies would be periodically interrupted by brass fanfares. This material made a very welcome reappearance in the third movement. The second movement was charming and tuneful. I really liked this symphony.
Armenian Rhapsodies No. 1-3 - Alan Hovhaness
All three of these lovely pieces were based on Armenian folk music. The first was lush and attractive, but a bit like Bartok Lite. No. 3 was the simplest of the group, and didn't have a lot of contrast between the sections. My favorite was No. 2. which was darker and almost bitter, with sharper harmonies and more tension than the other two. It began with a stunning motif in the violas, which were then joined by the cellos.
Sinfonia No. 2 Un Poco Concertante - Vache Sharafyan
This was the only piece on the program that I did not like. It had some terrific orchestration, especially in its use of percussion and unusual techniques. It sounded great, but the form and content was unconvincing - even the development section was boring. There were too many lurching crescendos and muddy harmonies.. The piece also had a couple of solos for the duduk, an Armenian reed instrument that has a gorgeous sound somewhere between that of a breathy flute and a saxophone. However, I was disappointed by the fact that the composer chose to use a recorded duduk performance rather than live. It just seemed a bit like cheating to do that, especially for a world premier in a major city that has a notable Armenian population.
Three Arias: Sung Out the Window Facing Mount Ararat - Tigran Mansurian
I loved this piece for viola and orchestra. It was deeply beautiful, and Kim Kashkashian's performance was just perfect. Each of the three movements was slow in tempo, yet there was still plenty of contrast between them. Each also had a very distinct emotional character. The first was portentous and brooding, the second was had a slightly lilting melody that gave it a wistful feel, and the third had a tinge of longing and wonder. The last movement also made great use of mallet percussion.
Exile Symphony - Alan Hovhaness
This work had a wonderful opening: a series of sinuous and hypnotic wind solos accompanied by the entire string section strumming their instruments. The melodies would be periodically interrupted by brass fanfares. This material made a very welcome reappearance in the third movement. The second movement was charming and tuneful. I really liked this symphony.
