Steve Schwartz wrote:

>There are at least fifty symphonies.  After #25, I think there's a
>significant fall-off, at least in the symphonies I've heard.

It may be unkind, but there's a temptation to think of Hovhaness as a
modern-day Vivaldi, apparently writing the same work over and over.  I
think there are well over sixty symphonies in all.  The eruption in #50,
"Mt St Helens", is guaranteed to give a hell of a fright to any insect life
that may be sharing your dwelling.  I've heard some quite delightful music
for piano and for harp which is much easier to take than some of his more
ponderous pieces.

My favourite remains the first of his music I ever heard: Prelude
and Quadruple Fugue in the Howard Hanson recording on Mercury which
unfortunately didn't make it to their reissue program.  The version that
shares the Telarc CD with the 6th symphony is naturally better-recorded but
less urgent than the Hanson.

Richard Pennycuick
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