Composer

:

Alan Hovhaness

Genre

:

Symphony

Style

:

Symphony

Compose Date

:

1982

Average_duration

:

30:31

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Symphony No. 50 Mount St. Helens, Op. 360 is a symphony composed by Alan Hovhaness in 1982. The symphony was premiered on May 18, 1983, by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The symphony is dedicated to the memory of the victims of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. The symphony consists of three movements. The first movement, marked "Molto moderato," begins with a slow, mournful theme played by the strings. The theme is then taken up by the woodwinds and brass, building to a climax before subsiding back into the mournful theme. The movement ends quietly, with a solo violin playing a haunting melody. The second movement, marked "Allegro," is a lively scherzo. The movement begins with a fast, rhythmic theme played by the strings. The theme is then taken up by the woodwinds and brass, building to a frenzied climax before subsiding back into the fast, rhythmic theme. The movement ends with a quiet coda, featuring a solo flute. The third movement, marked "Adagio," is a slow, meditative movement. The movement begins with a solo cello playing a mournful melody. The melody is then taken up by the strings, building to a climax before subsiding back into the mournful melody. The movement ends quietly, with a solo violin playing a haunting melody. The symphony is characterized by Hovhaness's use of modal melodies and his incorporation of non-Western musical elements, such as the use of the pentatonic scale. The symphony also features Hovhaness's characteristic use of lush, atmospheric textures and his incorporation of bird calls and other natural sounds. Overall, Symphony No. 50 Mount St. Helens, Op. 360 is a powerful and moving tribute to the victims of the Mount St. Helens eruption. Hovhaness's use of mournful melodies and atmospheric textures creates a sense of solemnity and reverence, while his incorporation of non-Western musical elements adds a unique and exotic flavor to the symphony.

More....