Search - Leslie Fyson, Alan Hovhaness, Ernest Gold :: Hovhaness: Lady of Light/Avak the Healer

Beautiful and Mysterious

monsterfromouterspain | 10/11/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Lady of Light is one of the this important composer's most mysterious and beautiful works. Scoring is often sparse, serene and orginal. Like much Hovhaness, this work seems inspired by Christian mysticism and contains mysterious scoring effects. The music is modal, and the vocal writing at times reminds one of big Oratorios (eg, Handel) with its masterly contrapuntal dexterity. Avak The Healer is a 1940s work, again digestible, sincere and refreshing. Performances are very good."

Love conquers all!

Mr. F. E. Perry | UK | 08/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hovhaness was a wonderful composer. In Lady of Light we have a long piece for orchestra and choir plus soloists on the theme of Love. Avak the Healer also carries these love vibrations. I particularly enjoyed those passage for 'free' rhythmless voices. These were reminiscent of Ligeti's vocal works as used in 2001 but here Hovhaness manages to create vocal textures that are far more elemental - in particular the element of Fire comes immediately to mind - as the 'Lady of Light' is consumed in her passion for divine Love. This is truly a beautiful work. I played it to my wife when we first met and although she'd had no interest in classical music before and was hostile to opera the strains of warm harmony (human not necessarily musical) and the inspiring theme of this work made it very easy for her to warm to such things. We also had passages played at our wedding - we moved out of the temple to the love dance on marimbas etc."