Symphony No. 4 Op. 165: Wind Ensemble

This symphony gives concert bands access to sophisticated large-form thinking without requiring the resources of a full orchestra. The writing sits naturally in the wind ensemble medium, allowing each section to sing with clarity while the overall architecture demands the ensemble's full attention and musicianship. Hovhaness's modal language and sustained lines create an opportunity for your band to explore genuinely lyrical concert band repertoire.

Symphony No. 4 unfolds with contemplative beauty and modal warmth. The writing breathes with spacious harmonies and singing lines that recall both American pastoral traditions and Armenian folk music. Rather than seeking dramatic contrast through loud-soft dynamics, the work finds its power in sustained intensity and the gradual accumulation of textural richness.

Concert bands at the university, advanced high school, and community levels will find this work rewarding. The piece requires competent musicianship across all sections and assumes players who can sustain focus through a full symphonic work, but it does not demand virtuosity. This is repertoire for ensembles ready to move beyond shorter contest pieces into genuine symphonic territory.

• Balance the melodic writing carefully across sections; Hovhaness often distributes primary lines among woodwinds and brass, requiring consistent awareness of who carries the phrase and who provides harmonic support at any given moment.
• Approach sustained passages with genuine legato rather than mechanical evenness. The spiritual quality of the work depends on breath control and phrasing that shapes longer lines architecturally.
• Give yourself adequate rehearsal time for the 76-page score. While the writing is generally accessible, the work's length and formal structure require ensemble cohesion across all movements.

Program this as a centerpiece for a concert devoted to American symphonic writing or as the anchor for a spring concert where your ensemble can command a full evening or substantial portion of one. Its length and structural integrity make it ideal for showcasing your program's development; pairing it with a shorter contemporary work or an overture creates a compelling balance. Consider featuring it alongside other 20th-century concert band symphonies to demonstrate the depth of the repertoire available to your ensemble.

• Sustaining long melodic lines across phrase boundaries
• Reading and responding to modal harmonic language
• Balancing independent sectional roles within a unified ensemble texture
• Understanding large-scale symphonic form in the wind ensemble context
• Maintaining intonation stability in sustained chords and sparse textures