Composer and “American Mystic” Alan Hovhaness found a unique way to express his reverence for our earth and all its creatures. Revisiting this wonderful recording may provide a momentary respite at this time of heartbreaking disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Mysterious Mountain” is probably Hovhaness’ most famous symphonic work. “And God Created Great Whales” features some of the most majestic soloists ever recorded: humpbacked whales. The whale soloists heard on this recording were recorded off the North Shore of Kauai.
HOVHANESS: Mysterious Mountain (Symphony No. 2) • And God Created Great Whales
Gerard Schwarz, conductor • Seattle Symphony
DE 3157
1. Mysterious Mountain (Symphony No. 2) * Andante con Moto * Double Fugue
* Andante Espressivo
2. Prayer of St. Gregory
3. Prelude and Quadruple Fugue
4. And God Created Great Whales
5. Alleluia and Fugue
6. Celestial Fantasy
Mr. Hovhaness, who was present for the recording sessions, had this to say about the two featured works:
And God Created Great Whales:
“Free rhythmless vibrational passages, each string player playing independently, suggest waves in a vast ocean sky. Undersea mountains rise and fall in horns, trombones, and tuba. Music of whales also rises and falls like mountain ranges. Song of whale emerges like a giant mythical sea bird. Man does not exist, has not yet been born in the solemn oneness of Nature.”
Mysterious Mountain:
“Mountains are symbols, like pyramids, of man’s attempt to know God. Mountains are symbolic meeting places between the mundane and spiritual worlds. To some, the Mysterious Mountain may be the phantom peak, unmeasured, thought to be higher than Everest, as seen from great distances by fliers in Tibet. To some, it may be the solitary mountain, the tower of strength over a countryside – Fujiyama, Ararat, Monadnock, Shasta, or Grand Teton.”
Press commentary:
“A marvellous introduction to the work of this multi-faceted composer. Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony offer a searching, introspective interpretation of the works in hand… Unmissable for Hovhaness’ masterpiece And God Created Great Whales, which incorporates the song of the humpbacked whale to stunning effect… Full of golden moments from a composer who is not ashamed to speak to ordinary music lovers. Seek and buy!” CD Review (UK)
“With their reflections of Nature, the spiritual, and the oriental, the symphonies of Alan Hovhaness are rapidly acquiring cult status.”
– CD Review (UK)
“Schwarz has the two best-known of Hovhaness’ pieces together, Mysterious Mountain and the extraordinary concerto for orchestra, and the voices of whales – prerecorded of course – of And God created Great Whales. Both these pieces have been recorded previously, but the Delos disc is superior in sound quality.” Classic CD
“It’s good to see the music of Alan Hovhaness returning to wide public attention again. His is an utterly original, inventive style of nobility, free of pretense. …fine performances in sensational 20-bit sound. It is also the first to gather so much of the best Hovhaness creations onto a single disc.” In Tune
“(And God Created Great Whales) …a haunting marriage of symphony orchestra and humpback whales as well as a quartet of short pieces that describe sublime, almost transcendental, states of mind… An essential purchase.” Vox (UK)
