Analysis of a master of music recital: a showcase of the saxophone in a variety of styles

Abstract

The saxophone is a versatile instrument utilized in a variety of musical styles. Paul Creston’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, Claude Debussy’s Rhapsodie pour Orchestre et Saxophone, and Edison Denisov’s Sonate pour Saxophone Alto et Piano are among some of the most important, original works for saxophone. The saxophone can also effectively be utilized in music from earlier time periods. For example, the saxophone is capable of producing tonal colors that closely mirror tonal colors associated with string instruments. These parallels make transcriptions of the Six Suites for Solo Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach particularly effective when performed on saxophone. This master’s report, presented as extended program notes, includes biographical information about the composers, a stylistic overview of the selected works, and thoughtful performance considerations.