HOVHANESS, ALAN

born March 8, 1911, Somerville, Mass., U.S. Hovhaness also spelled Hovaness U.S. composer of Armenian and Scottish descent, notable for his eclectic choice of material from non-European traditions. Hovhaness studied piano and composition at the New England Conservatory and later with the noted Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu at Tanglewood, Mass. He taught at the Boston Conservatory (194851) and travelled and composed extensively. At age 30 he became interested in Armenian music, an interest that later broadened to include music of the Middle and Far East. He toured Europe and Asia in the early 1960s as conductor and pianist and in India studied with native musicians. Hovhaness' music draws on many exotic rhythmic, melodic, and instrumental resources, as is indicated by the descriptive titles he favours. His style is often modal and rhythmically intricate, but lyrically expressive, with a de-emphasis on harmony. His Percussion Sextet for timpani, two drums, tamtam, marimba, and glockenspiel shows his use of unusual instrumental groupings, as does his Symphony No. 16 for strings and Korean percussion (first performed 1963). Hovhaness' early work is mostly lost, as he supposedly destroyed about 1,000 pieces in 1940. His compositions since then fall into several categories. His stage works include several chamber operas, including Blue Flame (1959) and Pilate (1963); the score to the Broadway production of The Flowering Peach (1954; lyrics by Clifford Odets); and music for modern dance. Large works for soloists, chorus, and orchestra include the Magnificat (1959), Lady of Light (1969), and The Way of Jesus (1974). His instrumental works range from keyboard and chamber music (Allegro on a Pakistan Lute Tune, for piano, 1952; and Duet for violin and harpsichord, 1954) to more than two dozen symphonies and many other orchestral compositions.