Overview
Introduction
Alan Hovhaness' Symphony No. 4 was commissioned by Robert Austin Boudreau and the American Wind Symphony. The instrumentation of this group deviated somewhat from those of the symphonic band and wind ensemble--media that spawned an enormous repertoire of distinguished American works during the 1950s. For that reason Hovhaness's Fourth Symphony (and his Seventh and Fourteenth-also commissioned by the American Wind Symphony) reflect this somewhat unorthodox instrumentation (no saxophones, for example).
Hovhaness has written, "My Symphony No. 4 probably has spiritual influences of the composers Yegmalian, Gomidas Vartabed, and Handel." The work is in three movements. The first is a hymn and fugue. Solemn brass chorales alternate with melismatic incantations featuring extended solos by bass clarinet, then contra-bassoon, accompanied by extra-tonal "points of sound" in percussion instruments. The second movement is intermezzo-like in character, and in ternary form. A rhythmically irregular marimba solo is punctuated by percussion interjections in alien tonality. The central section consists of two simple dance-like melodies played by woodwinds with percussion. This is followed by a varied return to the A-section, with xylophone instead of marimba. The third movement begins as a brass chorale is presented in alternation with melismatic cantorial melodies played by the English horn. After a rather staid mood has been established, a strange siren-like effect is created by trombone glissandi crossing each other in opposite directions. Against this background, another trombone sounds a stern proclamation. A sudden, accented cluster of trombone pedal-tones unleashes a wild jangling of metallic percussion. The composer writes, "I would prefer the massive free-rhythm bell orgies of Zurich to the spineless glockenspiel, chimes, and vibraphone of our industrial orchestras. I would like to ring all the bells in the lost Armenian city of Ani in wildly clashing free rhythm." The symphony then concludes with an exultant, canzona-like hymn, punctuated by extra-tonal bell sounds.
A superb recording of the Symphony No. 4, featuring the Eastman Symphonic Wind Ensemble, was issued in 1963, bringing it to the attention of a wide audience and making it one of Hovhaness's most frequently performed and best known works.
