Soprano Saxophone Concerto

Description

Soprano Saxophone, Piano — My Soprano Saxophone Concerto (2019) was written for Christopher Creviston and commissioned by Chris, the ASU Symphony Orchestra, and the SUNY Potsdam Symphony Orchestra. The work lasts about 15 minutes and does what it can to show the many sides of one of my favorite musicians on the planet. The work is cast in four movements and makes use of a varied orchestral palette.I. The Old Line (orchestra without brass) presents the soloist almost immediately, akin to the technique in Mendelssohn’s beloved Violin Concerto. The saxophone weaves a song-like melody throughout, often reaching for the highest register of the instrument.II. Aria: Injurious Graffito (full orchestra) was the first movement to be written, inspired by a line in the old television series Frasier. I fell in love with the two words “Injurious Graffito” the way they are delivered on the show. The music, like the TV show, is lofty and somewhat arrogant.III. Jump (full orchestra) is a written-out improvisation on the saxophone. Chris is particularly adept at the leaps and quick changes found throughout the movement, which culminates in a straight-ahead tune incorporating shapes that foreshadow the tune in the last movement.IV. Hymn: A Love Supreme (string orchestra and harp) is a torch song of unabashed sentimentality. A surprising admission: I was not thinking of John Coltrane’s famed album of the same name when naming this last movement. Perhaps it was a subconscious decision, but I was startled to put two and two together upon reacquainting myself with the Coltrane once the concerto was completed. An extraordinary addition to the saxophone repertoire, Pann’s concerto is alternately tender and wild, yet idiomatic even in the most challenging pyrotechnics and altissimo. The four movements show off and romance the soprano saxophone from a remarkable range of angles, while always maintaining beauty. The published piano reduction is fully suitable for public performances. A breathtaking performance of the premiere is available at https://youtu.be/Wer14hX0gYI