Symphony No. 22 Op. 236 (City of Light): Full Orchestra Conductor Score

Hovhaness's symphonies offer full orchestras the chance to perform genuinely orchestral music that doesn't demand the technical pyrotechnics of the standard repertoire. The 'City of Light' subtitle invites interpretation while the actual writing prioritizes balance and clarity, making it ideal for conductors building confidence with large ensembles or seeking repertoire that highlights every section.

The work unfolds with contemplative clarity, building textured landscapes through layered orchestral colors rather than dramatic contrasts. There's an unhurried quality to the writing that invites listeners into a soundworld both foreign and strangely familiar, modal and luminous.

Conductors of college and advanced high school orchestras looking for symphonic repertoire with substance and accessibility. This score serves conductors who value clear orchestration and meaningful parts for all sections over showpiece difficulty.

• Shape the orchestration by bringing out the inner voices Hovhaness scores so carefully; too many conductors let the upper strings dominate when the magic often lives in the woodwind countermelodies.
• Establish the modal harmonic language in early rehearsals so musicians understand they're not in traditional major/minor tonality; this shifts how they hear resolution and phrase shape.
• Use the 100-page score length as an opportunity to map out sectional rehearsal priorities before the first full reading; identify passages where ensemble balance requires special attention.
• Let the piece breathe; Hovhaness's pacing often feels unhurried compared to the Romantic symphonic tradition, and conductors who resist the urge to push through passages find greater musical coherence.

Pair this symphony with other mid-20th-century American works to show orchestras the range of voices writing during that period. It also works well as a closer in a program or as a centerpiece for a concert exploring non-Western musical influences in Western classical music.

• Reading complex orchestral textures with multiple simultaneous melodic lines
• Sustaining ensemble balance when harmonic interest shifts among sections
• Interpreting modal harmonic language and understanding non-functional harmony
• Listening across the ensemble to maintain ensemble cohesion without obvious dramatic climaxes