Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

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Work Overview

Concerto for Baritone Saxophone, Strings & You was composed for the 2023 Orange Chamber Music Festival Gala Concert. The work showcases the broad ranging expressive capabilities of the baritone saxophone and celebrates the singular joy that is live music performance. To this end, the work blurs the distinction between audience and performer. The audience is required to assist in the creation of immersive soundscapes that accompany and influence those on stage.

I - Song

The work opens with a lyrical baritone saxophone cadenza that outlines the concerto's primary thematic material. In this opening, the harmonic series of the baritone saxophone's lowest B is silhouetted by open string interjections from the ensemble. This sparse soundscape is reinforced by a drone chanted by the audience. Following this, the main theme is announced by the first violins with a driving and mixed metre primal dance. The work builds towards a climactic passage that counters rapid arpeggios, multiphonics, bisbigliandi and cross rhythms in the solo part against a wash of bariolage bowing and chanting from the ensemble and audience. Evoking an EDM 'riser and drop', the soloist delivers a momentous harmonic glissando.

II - Hands

Hands create a wash of sounds to commence Movement II. This rain (or rainforest) effect is accompanied by subtle vocalisations from the ensemble and avian harmonic flutters from soloist. Elements from the Movement I theme are reimagined into a new lullaby melody. This lullaby is first stated by a solo violin and then developed by the baritone saxophone against a star-like backdrop of upper string harmony. The movement swells to an appassionato waltz with soloist and ensemble in lockstep. Finally, the lullaby waltz dissipates into the rainforest wash, a violin solo and saxophone multiphonic lead a segue to Movement III.

III- Stomp

Movement III is an angular and chromatic rock anthem powered by the stomping of feet. An opening groove is established by the soloist and soon taken up by the celli and basses, allowing the soloist to explore a range of virtuosic electric guitar inspired sound effects. Soloist and ensemble unite for a mixed-metre hook, devised from elements of the Movement I theme. The movement is structured around increasingly chromatic episodes from this returning hook. The climax of the work is a full-throttle baritone saxophone cadenza: an eruption of multiphonics, bends, bisbigliandi and squeals that is 'cheered on' by a room full of stomping feet.

Work Details

Year: 2023

Instrumentation: Baritone saxophone, strings, audience choir.

Duration: 17 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Contents note: I. SOng -- II. Hands -- III. Stomp.

Commission note: Commissioned by Orange Chamber Music Festival.. Jay Byrnes, Carmen Nieves and the Orange Chamber Music Festival