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On November 24th Rouben Asatryan and Ohannes Chekidjian conducted the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra in an evening of Hovhaness and Beethoven works in Yerevan, Armenia. Unusually, all three Hovhaness works featured were receiving their Armenian premieres. This high profile event rounded off a year of celebrations in Armenia which has marked the 95th anniversary of the composer's birth. Although Hovhaness was himself an American by birth and upbringing, his father (who took American citizenship) originated from Armenia. The three Hovhaness works were: Concerto for orchestra with 2 pianos (1954), Magnificat (1958) and Symphony No.50 'Mount St. Helens' (1982), alongside Beethoven's Choral Fantasy. It is fitting that, 25 years on, music publisher C.F. Peters sponsored the Armenian premiere of the Mount St. Helens Symphony. Back in 1981 its former president Henry Hinrichsen commissioned the work from the composer, and its subsequent recording on the Delos label became something of a best-seller in the classical music sales charts, prompting a revival of interest in the composer on both sides of the Atlantic. Next came Hovhaness' 1954 Concerto, a work where Hovhaness uniquely augmented his orchestra with 2 pianos, here played by Atakan Sari and Martin Berk0fsky. Sari's presence on stage was notable for being the first appearance of a Turkish soloist with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. |
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The concert concluded with Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, but before this came the final Hovhaness local premiere, Magnificat. Choral duties were undertaken by the Armenian State Academic Choir, and the conductor was Ohannes Chekidjian. The vocal soloists were Seda Odabashyan, soprano; Narine Ananikyan, mezzo soprano; Berj Karazian, tenor; Shi Shuan, bass (China). The concert was recorded for Armenian state television and by satellite. |
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