Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000) was one of the most prolific American composers of the twentieth century, leaving behind more than 500 surviving works, including an extraordinary cycle of 64 symphonies.
Born Alan Vaness Chakmakjian to an Armenian father and an American mother, he later adopted the name Hovhaness in honour of his grandfather: a change that marked a deepening engagement with Armenian music, culture, and spirituality.
Alan Hovhaness: Unveiling One of the Great Composers of the 20th Century, written by his sixth wife, Hinako Fujihara Hovhaness (d. 2023), is less a conventional musical biography than an intimate personal memoir.
Drawing on her memories of their life together, Hinako presents a portrait of a composer admired by many prominent musical figures yet who never quite achieved household-name status.
The couple married in 1977, when Hovhaness was in his sixties and Fujihara in her forties, and the book emphasises the intensity and devotion of their bond from the outset.
Notably, the discussion of Hovhaness’s music itself remains largely peripheral. Hinako is more concerned with the spiritual beliefs and philosophical outlook that shaped both their lives, presenting these as transcending professional ambition or critical fashion.
Although Hovhaness’s multiple marriages might invite a less sympathetic interpretation, the author resists reducing him to a caricature of a womaniser.
Instead, she offers an image of a courteous, reflective man, comfortable in his inner world even when his music fell outside prevailing trends.
Structured chronologically, the book unfolds as a series of affectionate vignettes, each shaped by Hinako’s admiration for her husband and what he represented.
There are echoes of other spousal memoirs,such as Renske Mann’s The Girl in the Green Jumper, yet Hinako reveals comparatively little about herself.
The result is a focused, reverent account that prioritises emotional truth and spiritual resonance over critical analysis, offering a distinctive and personal contribution to the literature on Hovhaness.
Find out more about the book at https://alanhovhanessmusic.com/book/