On Alan Hovhaness, I think the Mysterious Mountain and St. Vartan
symphonies are the best exemplars of the two facets (there WERE only two
facets) of what he had to say.  Although Hovhaness was already middle-aged
when he moved to the Pacific Northwest, he eventually received the status
of an icon out here, like Starbuck's coffee or the Geoduck clam.  I once
interviewed him for a radio station, and found him very engaging and mad
as a hatter.

Jon Gallant  ([log in to unmask])