April 2011  Soundmark reissues 1950s Hovhaness LPs as digital downloads

Five "digital albums" comprising classic Hovhaness recordings from the 1950s have been made available by Soundmark Records.

These include early recordings of vintage Hovhaness works such as Lousadzak, Tzaikerk and the first recording of Avak the Healer. These Hovhaness download-only re-issues are listed in full below with track-by-track audio clips. They are among well over one hundred releases which Soundmark's founder, Matthew Walters, has painstakingly created, often from original LPs, believing them to be "recordings that deserve continued 'quality' circulation".

Walters has already made a name for himself in restoring to circulation many important but near-forgotten recordings from the American phonographic archive. Through First Edition Music, Walters previously re-issued on CD the famous Louisville Orchestra recordings from the 1950s to 1970s, featuring dozens of world-premiere recordings of important 20th century repertoire. Hovhaness was represented by a disc comprising Magnificat, Concerto No.7 for Orchestra and Symphony No.15.

Unlike First Edition, Soundmark releases are available as digital downloads only, a response to recent trends in how many music lovers now prefer to buy and listen to their music in the Internet Age. Due to varying local copyright laws, it should be noted that not all albums are downloadable in certain territories.

The five Soundmark Hovhaness albums are as follows...

Alan Hovhaness:
The 1950 Dial Recordings

• Lousadzak

• Tzaikerk

• Shatakh

• Achtamar

Maro Ajemian (piano), Anahid Ajemian (violin),
Manhattan Chamber Orchestra,
Alan Hovhaness conductor

Not downloadable in the USA

Alan Hovhaness:
Premiere Recordings

• Upon Enchanted Ground

• Suite for Violin, Piano and Pecussion

• Avak the Healer

Elden Bailey (percussion), Samuel Baron (flute),
Lucile Lawrence (harp), Claus Adam (cello),
Anahid Ajemian (violin), Maro Ajemian (piano),
Mary Lee Farris (soprano), Leon Rapier (trumpet),
Jorge Mester conducting the Louisville Orchestra.

Not downloadable in the USA

1957 MGM Recordings
Lousadzak / Concerto No.2

• Lousadzak for Piano and String Orchestra, Op. 48

• Concerto No. 2 for Violin and String Orchestra, Op. 89a

Maro Ajemian (piano), Anahid Ajemian (violin)
Carlos Surinach conducting the MGM String Orchestra

Not yet downloadable in the USA

The Complete
1960 Urania Recordings

• Alan Hovhaness: October Mountain

• George Antheil: Ballet Mecanique

• Carlos Chavez: Toccata for Percussion

Manhattan Percussion Ensemble,
conducted by Paul Price / Robert Craft

Premiere Recordings:
Hovhaness, McPhee, Pinkham

• Alan Hovhaness: Avak the Healer

• Colin McPhee: Symphony No.2

• Daniel Pinkham: Symphony No.2

Mary Lee Farris (soprano), Leon Rapier (trumpet),
The Louisville Orchestra
conducted by Jorge Mester / Robert Whitney