Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Salzburg Chamber Soloists conducted by Avlana Eisenberg. Zina Schiff as the soloist.
I - Pastoral: 0:00
II - Aria: 2:19
III - Allegro: 6:13
IV - Aria: 7:57
V - Presto: 10:06
VI - Recitative and Lullaby: 12:16
VII - Hymn: 17:55
Hovhaness's Violin Concerto No.1 was composed between 1951-7. Typically for a 1950s Hovhaness concerto with soloist, the violin is not cast as a virtuoso protagonist, but the purveyor of rich melodic material supported by the ensemble. Nor are there the traditional three movements but seven short ones with contrasting tempi and moods, making this a suite in all but name. The piece employs melisma, senza misura and tone clusters, the latter two brought to notability by American modernist composer Henry Cowell.
Beyond the evocative titles, Hovhaness details the effects he employs. The Greek word for melody, melisma, immediately sets a magical mood. “Tone cluster”, an innovation also established by Cowell, is a dissonant, closely spaced group of notes, sounded simultaneously. Pianists can play these by plunking their arms on the keys. Hovhaness utilizes a different approach for the string instruments: plucked, vibrated chords and grace notes.
The first movement is a monothematic pastoral. It begins with a bass pedal note and pizzicato strings, over which the soloist presents a lyrical main theme of oriental tone. The material unfolds in long melismatic lines over the increasingly dense pizzicato background. The pastoral then ends with a rather sudden diminuendo.
The second movement is a monothematic aria. It opens with the soloist presenting a lyrical and cantabile main theme. A senza misura transition then takes place, in Hovhaness gives further information on the score and orchestral parts "…as rapid as possible but not together … repeat ad lib …" in order to create the "rushing tornado of sound." Then mtheain theme is restated before the aria draws to a close.
The third movement is a monothematic dance. It begins with a rhythmic and folkish main theme presented by the soloist over a pedal note and pizzicato strings (as in the first movement). The rest of strings contrapuntally join as dissonant pizzicato tone clusters are performed. The allegro then suddenly ends.
The fourth movement is a second monothematic aria. It opens with the soloist introducing a deeply introspective main theme over sustained strings and pizzicato basses. It unfolds through long melismatic lines while maintaining the serene and contemplative tone of the music. The aria concludes as the soloist reaches a high note.
The fifth movement is a second monothematic dance. It begins with a strongly accented main theme of jovial tone, offering the most virtuosic show-off chance for the soloist. In the central part the rest of strings respond as they briefly take the material. The soloist then restates the main theme supported by pizzicato strings before the presto suddenly ends.
The sixth movement is divided in two parts: a recitative and lullaby, being the core of the concerto. The recitative begins with a brief ensemble introduction, before the soloist presents an expressive main theme on its lower register. Ensemble and soloist begin making exchanges as the violin's senza misura declamations are answered by harmonically striking, angelic string chords. Then the lullaby starts with the soloist introducing a variation of the theme supported by a walking bass line and pizzicati, which is briefly unfolded before the movement draws to a close.
The seventh movement is also monothematic. It opens with a luminous hymn as the main theme, first introduced on strings and then shared with the soloist in a series of antiphonal exchanges. In the central part the soloist takes centre stage in an expressive melismatic elaboration of the material. The concerto then meets a serene and luminous end.
Picture: Edited version of "Armenia" (1957) by Armenian painter Martiros Sarian.
Sources: tinyurl.com/29vepqxa and tinyurl.com/256sjzx7
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
Salzburg Chamber Soloists conducted by Avlana Eisenberg. Zina Schiff as the soloist.
I - Pastoral: 0:00
II - Aria: 2:19
III - Allegro: 6:13
IV - Aria: 7:57
V - Presto: 10:06
VI - Recitative and Lullaby: 12:16
VII - Hymn: 17:55
Hovhaness's Violin Concerto No.1 was composed between 1951-7. Typically for a 1950s Hovhaness concerto with soloist, the violin is not cast as a virtuoso protagonist, but the purveyor of rich melodic material supported by the ensemble. Nor are there the traditional three movements but seven short ones with contrasting tempi and moods, making this a suite in all but name. The piece employs melisma, senza misura and tone clusters, the latter two brought to notability by American modernist composer Henry Cowell.
Beyond the evocative titles, Hovhaness details the effects he employs. The Greek word for melody, melisma, immediately sets a magical mood. “Tone cluster”, an innovation also established by Cowell, is a dissonant, closely spaced group of notes, sounded simultaneously. Pianists can play these by plunking their arms on the keys. Hovhaness utilizes a different approach for the string instruments: plucked, vibrated chords and grace notes.
The first movement is a monothematic pastoral. It begins with a bass pedal note and pizzicato strings, over which the soloist presents a lyrical main theme of oriental tone. The material unfolds in long melismatic lines over the increasingly dense pizzicato background. The pastoral then ends with a rather sudden diminuendo.
The second movement is a monothematic aria. It opens with the soloist presenting a lyrical and cantabile main theme. A senza misura transition then takes place, in Hovhaness gives further information on the score and orchestral parts "…as rapid as possible but not together … repeat ad lib …" in order to create the "rushing tornado of sound." Then mtheain theme is restated before the aria draws to a close.
The third movement is a monothematic dance. It begins with a rhythmic and folkish main theme presented by the soloist over a pedal note and pizzicato strings (as in the first movement). The rest of strings contrapuntally join as dissonant pizzicato tone clusters are performed. The allegro then suddenly ends.
The fourth movement is a second monothematic aria. It opens with the soloist introducing a deeply introspective main theme over sustained strings and pizzicato basses. It unfolds through long melismatic lines while maintaining the serene and contemplative tone of the music. The aria concludes as the soloist reaches a high note.
The fifth movement is a second monothematic dance. It begins with a strongly accented main theme of jovial tone, offering the most virtuosic show-off chance for the soloist. In the central part the rest of strings respond as they briefly take the material. The soloist then restates the main theme supported by pizzicato strings before the presto suddenly ends.
The sixth movement is divided in two parts: a recitative and lullaby, being the core of the concerto. The recitative begins with a brief ensemble introduction, before the soloist presents an expressive main theme on its lower register. Ensemble and soloist begin making exchanges as the violin's senza misura declamations are answered by harmonically striking, angelic string chords. Then the lullaby starts with the soloist introducing a variation of the theme supported by a walking bass line and pizzicati, which is briefly unfolded before the movement draws to a close.
The seventh movement is also monothematic. It opens with a luminous hymn as the main theme, first introduced on strings and then shared with the soloist in a series of antiphonal exchanges. In the central part the soloist takes centre stage in an expressive melismatic elaboration of the material. The concerto then meets a serene and luminous end.
Picture: Edited version of "Armenia" (1957) by Armenian painter Martiros Sarian.
Sources: tinyurl.com/29vepqxa and tinyurl.com/256sjzx7
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
