CONCERTO FOR ALTO SAXOPHONE & WIND ENSEMBLE (2018)
1 - Full Score, bound hard copy (11in x 14in)
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*The Solo Alto Saxophone part is exactly the same for performance with Wind Ensemble or Piano. When performed as a solo with Piano, the piece carries the title "Sonata," and when performed with Wind Ensemble, the title is "Concerto."
INSTRUMENTATION
Solo Eb Alto Saxophone, Piccolo, 4 Flutes, 2 Oboes, English Horn, 3 Bb Clarinets, Bb Bass Clarinet, Bb Contrabass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, 3 Bb Trumpets, 4 F Horns (mutes), 2 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, 2 Tubas, Timpani (4 drums), 4 Percussion, Contrabass
DURATION
16 minutes
AWARDS
2018 ASCAP/CBDNA Frederick Fennell Prize
PROGRAM NOTE
Concerto for Alto Saxophone & Wind Ensemble (2018) was commissioned jointly by the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble and the Mt. San Antonio College Wind Ensemble (Dr. Gregory Xavier Whitmore, conductor). The world premiere performance by the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble -- under the direction of Dr. Gregory Xavier Whitmore and featuring alto saxophone soloist Andrew Harrison -- was presented in Costa Mesa, California, on March 10, 2019.
In the first movement, the saxophone bolts forward with brilliance and energy. An equally virtuosic ensemble counterpart constantly amps up the tension, making for a lightning-fast musical repartee. The second movement demonstrates the lyric capacity and sonic richness of the saxophone. In setting this dark middle movement, I strove to write sweeping lines and lush, film noir-inspired textures. The music here is lonesome and pensive, creating a warm atmosphere of haunting pathos. The final movement is a jaunty escapade based on a lyrical, sweet melody. The tune meanders through a series of developments and variations, all the while showing off the saxophone’s extensive range, bright timbral possibilities, and extraordinary agility.
– Jules Pegram (2018)