Three Movements For Saxophone Alone
Faye-Ellen1 Silverman
About this work:
“Three Movements for Saxophone Alone” is my first published composition. It was written for my friend Howie LeShaw. Created after listening to several recordings of virtuoso jazz saxophonists, the work shows the influence of jazz. The work uses many specialized techniques to show off the instrument, some of which were discovered by reading the Bartolozzi book on woodwind techniques. The first movement begins with key slaps, then moves to air being blown through the instrument before the full saxophone sound emerges. This emergence from nothing shows the influence of Lukas Foss, with whom I had recently studied, as well as other composers. The second movement is slower. The end returns to the beginning. Different kinds of pitch changes – including bent pitches and quarter tone glissandi – are used, along with different speeds of vibrato, and buzz tones. The third movement also creates similarities between its opening and its closing measures. Use is made of contrasting registers (two notes high followed by two notes low, then again two high notes). These and other specialized instrumental techniques are used to showcase the instrumentalist.
Year composed: 1971
Duration: 00:06:30
Ensemble type: Solo instrument, non-keyboard:Soprano Saxophone
Instrumentation: 1 Soprano Saxophone