What do you all think of this proposed concert?

[Donaldopato]

A conductor friend of mine has proposed a concert opening with Hovhaness' "Mysterious Mountain" Symphony #2 followed by the Beethoven 9th. He is meeting with some resistance from the powers that be.

I think it would be fabulous. Both works celebrate the human spirit, are brimming with lyrical melodies, and are ultimately positive and joyful.

What do you all think? Inspired or Insane.

[diegobueno]

Where will the intermission go? After the 2nd movement of the Beethoven (as is sometimes done)? Or will there be no intermission?

[karlhenning]

What about Insane in a good way? . . .

Cheers,
~Karl

[absinthe]

Sort of 'so-so'. I haven't heard much of Hovhaness' work but the couple of symphonies I came across
were straightforward enough. It may seem an unusual coupling but with the interval between the works the climax would still focus on the last movement of the Beethoven.

[piston]

He is meeting with some resistance from the powers that be.

I'm getting stuck over that particular sentence. Hovhaness was about as "mild" any contemporary composers could be during his life time. Why not throw in some whale sounds in the mix?!

If the powers that be are resisting Hovhaness they'll probably not program any Bartok. At what point in time do they no longer resist? Brahms? Dvorak?

[Chalkperson]

Mysterious Mountain is a great work, sounds like a good idea to me...

[stenka razin]

Ever since I saw Leopold Stokowski conduct the Houston Symphony in the world premiere of Hovhaness' great and sublime mastepiece in the mid 1950's, I have loved 'Mysterious Mountain' so much. In fact I have collected all of the Crystal CDs of Hovhaness' inspired compositions. There are about eleven CDs and well worth collecting.
Beethoven 9th is a wonderful and inspired companion for Alan. Superb idea!

[absinthe]

If the powers that be are resisting Hovhaness they'll probably not program any Bartok. At what point in time do they no longer resist? Brahms? Dvorak?

But isn't it the unfamiliar name on the programme less than audience problems with Hovhaness?
It happens often even with regional concert halls here. I recall submitting a three section (segued) work, about 12 minutes, to our local Sussex Symphony. I know the director slightly. I hoped that he might have included it complete, but he took me aside, disappointed, as I was about to feel when he said, "We can't...they (the committee) won't buy it. No one knows your work and we have to sell (so-many) tickets to make it pay." Then he offered me a slot before the interval to play the slower section if I could adjust the opening and closing as they were meant to be joined to 1st and 3rd section. He himself quite liked the work and would progamme it when I became better known through the town orchestras; and a more modern programme was drawn up. Ah well.....

[Donaldopato]

He is meeting with some resistance from the powers that be.

I'm getting stuck over that particular sentence. Hovhaness was about as "mild" any contemporary composers could be during his life time. Why not throw in some whale sounds in the mix?!

If the powers that be are resisting Hovhaness they'll probably not program any Bartok. At what point in time do they no longer resist? Brahms? Dvorak?

He did not elaborate. But since we open a new concert hall next season, I think the people who approve the programs are wanting big-ticket bon-bons for each performance to pay for the damn thing. Probably think some would stay away from even the "glorious 9th" if the opening work were something unfamiliar.

[Lance]

Personally, I think it's a most interesting idea appealing to pretty much everyone, musically. Give a listen to the Fritz Reiner recording of the Hovhaness work on RCA, which was my introduction to the work. It's not a pairing I would have thought of myself but illustrates some seriously "good" thinking! Let us know what the outcome is, per favore

[Chalkperson]

Personally, I think it's a most interesting idea appealing to pretty much everyone, musically. Give a listen to the Fritz Reiner recording of the Hovhaness work on RCA, which was my introduction to the work. It's not a pairing I would have thought of myself but illustrates some seriously "good" thinking! Let us know what the outcome is, per favore

Also Gerard Schwartz's recording on Telarc...

[absinthe]

The only misgivings are balance. The Hovhaness would come to about 18 minutes, the Beethoven about 72. Hopefully the organisers don't plan to put an interval during the Beethoven. A thought would be to add something to the first half but the total concert already adds up to 90 mins plus interval

[karlhenning]

He did not elaborate. But since we open a new concert hall next season, I think the people who approve the programs are wanting big-ticket bon-bons for each performance to pay for the damn thing. Probably think some would stay away from even the "glorious 9th" if the opening work were something unfamiliar.

Well, if it is any indicator . . . not all that long ago the piece which Levine programmed to go with the "glorious 9th" was the Schoenberg Erste Kammerkonzert . . . and that didn't keep people away ; )

Cheers,
~Karl

[Lance]

Good, but no comparison to the Reiner reading.

Personally, I think it's a most interesting idea appealing to pretty much everyone, musically. Give a listen to the Fritz Reiner recording of the Hovhaness work on RCA, which was my introduction to the work. It's not a pairing I would have thought of myself but illustrates some seriously "good" thinking! Let us know what the outcome is, per favore

Also Gerard Schwartz's recording on Telarc...

[maestrob]

My only objection is the extra expense for rehearsal time for Mysterious Mountain. Agree it's a glorious work, but Beethoven IX takes a LOT of preparation, even for a major orchestra that has already played the work under a different conductor, especially the final movement: co-ordinating 4 soloists, choir and orchestra.

[karlhenning]

Coördinating 4 soloists? My dear fellow, it cannot be done! ; )

Cheers,
~Karl

[Chalkperson]

Good, but no comparison to the Reiner reading.

Have you heard it as a Multi Channel SACD...it's a different performance to Reiner, it is possible to like two contrasting views of a work, especially when they are recorded 50-60 years apart...

[karlhenning]

The Schwartz is a lovely performance.

Cheers,
~Karl

[Donaldopato]

Thanks for all your input. I have apprised the conductor of your support! We'll see what happens.

[piston]

I sure hope it receives good reviews. Anyone who states that Hovhaness does not belong in a classical music concert hall, however wealthy, should be sent packing....

[7flat5]

The Schwartz is a lovely performance.

Cheers,
~Karl

I third this, especially in SACD multichannel. Glorious to listen to, and moving, to me. I haven't heard the Reiner, though, so I'm certainly not saying it's "better."

[Harold Tucker]

Seems like a good idea to me.

Some years back it became the fashion to do Schoenberg's "Survivor from Warsaw" as a prelude to the Ninth. If I recall correctly there was no intermission in the program.

[slofstra]

Coördinating 4 soloists? My dear fellow, it cannot be done! ; )

Cheers,
~Karl

Well, that explains a lot.

[slofstra]

Thanks for all your input. I have apprised the conductor of your support! We'll see what happens.

Please let us know where they put the intermission. I don't think there is a good answer here to that question.

[karlhenning]

Some years back it became the fashion to do Schoenberg's "Survivor from Warsaw" as a prelude to the Ninth. If I recall correctly there was no intermission in the program.

Now, I'm a fellow, the more Schoenberg out there, the better I like it. But this seems to me an odd notion.

Cheers,
~Karl

[Donaldopato]

I'll keep you all posted if it comes off, it is a proposal for late next season so would be sometime in 2012.

The conductor was pleased with all the positive comments and that at least some people understood what he was trying to achieve, unlike those (I assume) on the planning committee.