The solo repertoire for "classical" saxophone is indeed on the thin side; furthermore, even the best of this repertoire (e.g., Ibert, Glazunov. etc.) tends toward a lighter or less serious treatment (for lack of a better term) than composers often use when writing concertos for other instruments. Not a criticism (I think the Ibert is a very fine piece), but "classical" saxophonists looking for a concerto of substance, similar in approach to what exists in abundance for pianists and violinists, have very little to choose from. I hope to make a modest contribution to the "serious" side of the repertoire with the premiere of my Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra next month in northern California. The soloist for whom the piece was written has an actual career playing solo classical saxophone, and during our conversations about the piece-to-be expressed a strong desire for a dramatic, even quasi-theatrical concerto. This fit my thinking exactly, and given the expressive possibilities of the instrument, I'm surprised that more composers haven't written such pieces for it.
Lee Actor Composer-in-Residence and Assistant Conductor, Palo Alto Philharmonic Assistant Conductor, Nova Vista Symphony http://www.leeactor.com > These responses have missed whatever point I probably shouldn't have > bothered trying to make here, and that was that there is so little > significant repertoire for "classical" saxophone, despite the > existence of a number of fine players in that style, that favoring > that style in music departments over the jazz style is the equivalent > of hiring a jazz violinist over a classical one. There is a > disprportion of repertoire and interest. Anyone for a jazz oboe > teacher? > > Chuck > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jan 28, 2010, at 3:30 PM, dhbailey > <[email protected] > > wrote: > > > Chuck Israels wrote: > >> I have always thought the classical music of the saxophone is what > >> Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Charlie Parker played, and that > >> music departments that don't recognize that are failing to see the > >> world as it is - to almost everyone's detriment. > > > > While that's true, since what they played embodies the vast majority > > of saxophone music, their approach to music reading and > > interpretation is quite different from that used by all the other > > instruments/voices within what is traditionally labeled the > > "classical" (Dennis' Non-Pop) realm. > > > > And if their saxophone playing is truly the classical music of the > > saxophone, where do people like Sigurd Rascher fit in? King > > Curtis? Illinois Jacquet? > > > > Not trying to be argumentative -- truly interested in trying to come > > to grips with the use of these terms in relation to an instrument > > which very clearly straddles the two worlds but has a larger life in > > the jazz world. > > > > And would we then say that Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles > > Davis are classical trumpeters? > > > > It's an interesting idea to toss around and clearly illustrates how > > these terms ultimately are meaningless since they can't deal with > > cross-boundary issues. > > > > -- > > David H. Bailey > > [email protected] _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
