Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Band

Transition: concerto for alto saxophone and wind band

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I did not include a full score because I want to sell it. I have compromised by providing the saxophone part.

Performance notes: This Concerto features an extremely difficult saxophone part utilizing the saxophone's countless timbres, agility, and altissimo register. The performer must have an acute sense of rhythmic precision a very strong upper range; like any other concerto in history the soloist must be an extremely accomplished musician. There are also special effects that are particular to the woodwind family including multi-phonics and quarter tone trills.

This being my second large work it carries a few a problems that I may fix in years to come, but at this point I do not have the skill the make it any better. However, the main problem that I am aware of is that the density of the orchestration can sometimes cause the sound to be unclear, particularly in darker halls. When combined with the soloist, this can be problematic depending on timbres that the performer uses. If the performer generally has a dark sound, the soloist will be overpowered, particularly in the second movement. This can compensated for by the performer using a brighter timbre during these densely scored sections, performing in a brighter hall, telling the band to switch to one on a part, or by artificial amplification. Be sure to consult a sound engineer on how to amplify the soloist if you choose this solution.

Musical interpretation: The title of this work has two meanings. In one sense it is the representation of life in general going through change. In order to settle upon a contented state, one must not fight the changes they go through in life but rather change their attitude towards their new surroundings. It is not our circumstances that make us happy, but our attitude towards our surroundings that governs how we feel. After all, a person can have everything in the world going their way and still be unhappy. I have attempted to capture this concept with this work. My suggestion to see this in the music is to think of the saxophone as a person seeking contentment and the band as the person's environment (I hope you now see why I have chosen to not thin the orchestration).

On the other hand, this work is a perfect representation of how I have viewed life throughout the year of June 2007 through June 2008. I listen to this work and remember days and times that I assign to certain sections of the piece, some of which are documented in my journal. I will obviously not go into depth about this, but I will leave this by saying that I learned a lot that year.

In a sense you can say that this piece is about growing up; the attitudes of a person before they start to mature, the pain that is required to mature, and then finally looking at the world through eyes that are seeking deeper understanding. In any case, the work represents a person painfully transitioning into a new and better outlook on life.

Thanks for your interest. Feedback on the recording quality and my playing are of course welcome along with the composition itself.

Caleb Hugo

calebhugo.com.

Download my cd: Prelude.

calebhugo@calebhugo.com, Facebook, blog RSS, youtube

Transition-Solo part.pdf

I loved it! It was all so fast and random, but it wasn't out of time, it went with everything else, and made the solo and song sound amazing! Great job.

This is probably the best saxophone solo I've heard, I was never bored, great writing.

This is one of the more intriguing and stellar pieces I've heard on here in a long time!

VERY interesting writing (not random at all), and a serious sax player (am I to understand the orchestra is synthesized, while the solo is a human being?)

Either way, I listened and looked - don't have any direct comments right now, don't really need/want to give any. It's a very strong piece of music - I love the very prominent element of jazz along with the very dark textures and powerfully dissonant bits... you control the energy quite well.

My only concern is that it's a bit too saxophoney... I mean, there's not a lot of space where the sax isn't playing. A few measures here and there, but it might offer a bit more contrast and range to your texture/energy if you thinned it out for a little longer in some spots, before bringing the sax back in...

I wonder if you're familiar with the short-lived American Jazz Philharmonic. Your piece, while being less "jazzy", reminded me of this: Nostalgico (Manny Albam) featuring Phil Woods. Check it out, you'll dig it. I hope you stick around, offer some advice on the music of other members.

First,

You're going to need one hell of an alto sax player to play this. Also you use a high A, that's not even possible on the alto last time I played, the highest note was a F# and that required some serious skill to play, none the less you have the player moving at a extraordinarily fast tempo. At measure 139 I don't even think it's possible to even start out playing that note.

It sounds really cool, actually this is probably the best thing I've heard on this site, but I don't think this piece is really that plausible. I only say this because I played alto for 9 years so far. Very nice recording and you obvious have some serious composition background unlike the majority of the people on this site including me.

All in all, don't listen to me, I probably don't know what I'm talking about, you're obviously way more experienced than me. Good stuff, been a while since I've heard something as great as this. :D

You're going to need one hell of an alto sax player to play this. Also you use a high A, that's not even possible on the alto last time I played, the highest note was a F# ... At measure 139 I don't even think it's possible to even start out playing that note.

It sounds really cool, actually this is probably the best thing I've heard on this site, but I don't think this piece is really that plausible. I only say this because I played alto for 9 years so far. ...

All in all, don't listen to me, I probably don't know what I'm talking about...

A hell of a sax player, yes...but this is (obviously) more than playable. As far as I understand, it's a HUMAN soloist over a synthesized orchestra.

Altissimo register work is quite common - methinks you need to start listening to more sax players ;) OR...try it yourself!

Alto Saxophone Altissimo Fingering Chart - Cannonball Musical Instruments

Dr. Tiffany Engle at Calvin College premiered this piece with the Cornerstone University wind ensemble. The recording isn't very good (it is live after all), but I will post it here to prove that it can be done. Although I had to rewrite the double F# for her. I don't know how I can play that high, it just kinda happens. Don't try it, you'll hurt yourself. ;)

Click here for the premiere performance.

Yes, she is "a hell of a sax player." And I will openly admit that I had 7 gigs of WAV file in my mac by the time I was done making this recording. I am capable of playing it, but in pieces. :blush:

Altissimo register work is quite common - methinks you need to start listening to more sax players ;) OR...try it yourself!

Alto Saxophone Altissimo Fingering Chart - Cannonball Musical Instruments

Oh hell, I can't play that high, dear god, I can't imagine how that is possible, especially with a good sound and going to the G, must be music for dogs and bats. The altissimo register isn't common for high school symphonic music :laugh:. I prefer piano anyways, you just gotta press the key. I wonder what strength of reeds one would use... :hmmm:

Dr. Tiffany Engle at Calvin College premiered this piece with the Cornerstone University wind ensemble. The recording isn't very good (it is live after all), but I will post it here to prove that it can be done. Although I had to rewrite the double F# for her. I don't know how I can play that high, it just kinda happens. Don't try it, you're hurt yourself. ;)

Click here for the premiere performance.

Yes, she is "a hell of a sax player." And I will openly admit that I had 7 gigs of WAV file in my mac by the time I was done making this recording. I am capable of playing it, but in pieces. :blush:

I'M NOT WORTHY!!! :nod:

Seriously, that is incredible, I respect anyone who even attempts to play it.

@ Caleb:

That's YOU on the official recording? Albeit in pieces, but who cares - you've got a great sound - but it was your feel that struck me as super-fantastic. The 16th-note lines felt amazingly grounded - I suspect you're also a solid jazz player, mainly because they sounded the way a jazzer phrases straight-8th notes at higher tempos...

:blush: Why thank you. :)

I will give this a very thorough review tomorrow, but just from looking at the score...

Wow!

It is amazingly idiomatic saxophone writing. I think I *will* bust out my alto and go through this. I am not fond of your choice of key, though... but I suppose it's easier for the orchestra.

This looks like a spectacular work, so expect a very praising review tomorrow! :)

definately fantastic. it's all i can say.

Oh my goodness. This is flat out amazing. The jazziness is infectious, the playing is really solid, and the writing is virtuosic.

Let me know when this wins a Grammy. I'm diggin' it!

I am not gonna lie... My mind was kinda blown when I heard this. Lolz

you have a real feeling for your style. Wind Bands will LOVE LOVE LOVE this. They always like new stuff (IMHO, it is the best large ensemble to write for right now).

The harmonies are quick, jazzy, and fun. But you evoke a wide range of emotions throughout the development of the piece, so I didn't get bored. But, (this should be taken as a compliment), I actually just closed the PDF file about 5 minutes in and just listened. With style of piece, I know you wrote well for the ensemble, so I wasn't worried... And I was more interested in the sound being produced. And that's how music should be for this genre.

Kudos!

Morivou

this piece is a great. I think the improvitory nature of the saxophone just makes the piece brilliant. that's what I think a saxophone is made for. Beautiful piece.

Dude... Awesome! All I can say really. :blink:

This has changed all my opinions on the saxophone as an instrument.

This has changed all my opinions on the saxophone as an instrument.

What did you think before?

Ok, all that I have to say is that this was awesome! Such an emotional piece, and it totally fit your description. I very much envy both your talent for performance as well as composing! Your tone, as Robin said, is great and really fit the piece.

As a saxophone player myself, I'm very excited to see such a serious work for the instrument posted here. I could only dream of playing this however =) Kudos to you though, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

What did you think before?

I had no idea it was capable of such expression and i certainly didn't know it was possible to go that high...

Ah, I see. Cool, cool.

I just wanted to let you all know how much it means to me to be getting so much positive feedback. I am deeply thankful for your kind words.

Also, a slightly lesser thank you is in order for causing this thread to have the second slot on google when you type in "alto saxophone and wind band." I didn't think that would happen for years. Now I'm going to have to polish it some more with these comments in mind.

Thanks again,

-caleb

Very nice! VERY nice!

Very modern. Sometimes the drums are... the same! :(

Beautiful piece! Vrek! I LIKE IT! Very much!

Hello Caleb,

While I will say that it is an impressive work, I'm sorry to say that I was not overly crazy about this piece. I'm no such a huge fan of your orcehstrations, I think you could have gotten much better timbres out of your orchestra. Though that might just be my own aesthetics speaking (although, lets be serious, personal aesthetics, whether we like it or not, are a huge part of criticism). I agree with the above assessment of the drums. Also, I found the saxophone writing, while an impressive part (performances-wise; I wasn't very impressed with it on a musical level), to be a bit too repetitive (if not in pitch in concept) in places, overly cliche, and a bit cheesy. The most interesting parts in the saxophone writing came when you incorporated multiphonics, it was really the only thing different in the part -- the rest of it was pretty much the same thing over and over.

About 10 minutes into the piece I felt like you were completely out of ideas, so the rest of the piece kind of lacked any imagination -- it felt like you were stretching your piece to fit a time constraint.

this is one heck of a piece! i really enjoyed the crazy speed and rhythmn! great to hear it performed live too :D looking forward to buy your score :).