Selected Violin Works of Alan Scott ‘Vaness’ Chakmakjian Hovhaness: Two New Performance Editions with Historical Discussion, Compositional Style Overviews, and Pedagogical Considerations

Abstract

This DMA document introduces new performance editions of Alan Scott ‘Vaness’ Chakmakjian Hovhaness’s Khirgiz Suite, Op. 73, No. 1 (1951) and the Three Visions of Saint Mesrob, Op. 198 (1962). The new editions created for this document supply violinists with usable performance copies, greatly increasing the likelihood of their future performance. In addition, historical discussion, compositional style overviews, and pedagogical considerations are presented for these pieces. Finally, a detailed list of Hovhaness’s violin compositions and information about where they may be purchased has been provided. Primarily, the purpose of this study was to provide an overview of the violin works of Alan Hovhaness to violinists, musicologists, and string pedagogues. The goal was to explore the literature, so that its usefulness could be explained to the string community. The conclusion is that these compositions have great historic, compositional, and pedagogical value. It is also determined that they may be performed successfully at the pre-college and early collegiate levels, providing supplementary training repertoire of a wide range of twentieth-century compositional styles.