Alan Hovhaness
An American composer who wove the mystical sounds of Armenian chant and the grandeur of nature into over 500 spellbinding symphonies and works.
1911–2000 (age 89)·American composer·Birthday: March 8·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alan Hovhaness created a sonic universe entirely his own, one that stood apart from the dominant musical trends of 20th-century America. Of Armenian and Scottish descent, he found his true voice after destroying many of his early works and immersing himself in the ancient musical traditions of his father's heritage. This fusion defined his life's work: the haunting, melodic lines of Armenian liturgical music met his profound love for the natural world—mountains, stars, and oceans. The result was a vast, accessible, and spiritually charged catalog. He worked with a staggering, almost elemental productivity, composing over 60 symphonies and hundreds of other pieces. His music, often described as celestial or serene, features lush strings, evocative woodwinds, and the dramatic use of percussion to simulate storms and tectonic shifts. While sometimes overlooked by the academic avant-garde, Hovhaness built a devoted public following, offering listeners a gateway to contemplation and wonder through sound.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alan was born in 1911, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1911
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1911Born
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1916Started school
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Became a teenager
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Could drive
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1929Could vote
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Turned 21
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1941Turned 30
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 40
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 50
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 60
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 70
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 80
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Died at 89
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
Key Achievements
- Composed Symphony No. 2, "Mysterious Mountain," which became one of his most popular and frequently recorded works.
- His opera "Etchmiadzin" and other early Armenian-inspired works helped pioneer the integration of non-Western musical forms into American classical composition.
- Received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1954, which supported his continued exploration of hybrid musical styles.
Did You Know?
He legally changed his name from Alan Vaness Chakmakjian to Alan Hovhaness in the 1940s to honor his Armenian heritage.
He claimed to have destroyed over 1,000 of his own early compositions in a furnace.
He had a deep interest in astronomy and incorporated star charts into the graphic notation of some of his scores.
His "And God Created Great Whales" symphony includes recorded sounds of humpback whales woven into the orchestral fabric.
“Music is a spiritual communication like the rays of the sun.”
