$80
Duration: 13 min., 30 sec.
Instrumentation: F Horn and Alto Saxophone*
*[Tenor Sax Edition available for purchase in drop down menu to the right]
Commission/dedication: for Kianti, myself, and our friends Bryan & Katherine
written for & premiered by Duo Lupo for the 2023 XIX World Saxophone Congress in Spain
Program Notes:
"This work should've been done a long time ago, and I'm just glad I finally got around to making my wife happy.
Kianti plays the alto saxophone, and I the horn. Naturally, the idea of me writing a piece for both of us to play came about. It took a while to finally sit down and write it, but with the nudge from some dear friends of ours (who both so happen to play the same instruments), I've managed to actualize this fun personal project (to the excitement of eager and extremely patient musicians).
I settled on four movements, and the titles for each came about after I completed the movement or during the writing of the movement. I decided to take this work slowly and let ideas "come to me" (though I had to be open to receiving them), for these are the ideas I tend to love the most, and I so wanted to love any and everything about this piece.
Each movement came to represent a particular idea. I thought about how I came to the ideas, the way they made me feel, and what they "sounded like". The following arose:
I. Focus (Opening)│Allegro, Vivo
II. Manifest (Intermezzo)│Adagio, Andante
III. Probe (Scherzo)│Agitato
IV. Anticipate (Finale)│Vivace
I. — "Focus" is about that feeling of sitting down to do the work and falling into "flow." It's about preparing your brain to enter deep work so that you produce effective results. The repeated saxophone line at the beginning is almost like a "trance", representing the attempt to fall into the grasp of focus, and as the music unfolds, we arrive at the "Vivo" section at rehearsal letter A, the idea that sparked the rest of the movement, the idea that sounded most like focus to me, and a motif that I use at various points throughout the work. This movement takes us on the journey of focus and various points of focus may sound and feel like or what product could arise from such focus. The various tempi helps take us through this journey.
II. — "Manifest" is about a lot of things, and I wanted to show something beautiful through a simple melody, and I wanted to watch it grow. My process with this whole work has been to "manifest" ideas, letting them come to me, and not forcing my way through. The melody came to me when I was staring out of a window, the sun rays beaming through (hence the "Illuminating" section). Time and space froze, the present felt tangible, and nothing else seemed to matter in that moment.
III. — "Probe" has undergone several name changes, but I realized that all names represented one idea on my mind: Curiosity. You may wonder why I didn't just name the movement that. It may sound silly, but I wanted to keep each movement name as a verb for its title like the previous two had. The word "probe" seemed to represent the idea of curiosity,—urgent and pressing curiosity—the kind that won't leave us alone until we've pursued it (similar to how my best ideas won't leave me alone until I've written them).
IV. — "Anticipate" just made sense. So much of the movement sounds like anticipation to me: the dynamic shifts, the building up, the boiling over, the caesuras/grand pauses, the speed. It's all there. A fanfare-esque passage opens up the movement and separates each section. The work culminates in a series of grooves that keep the head spinning with excitement (or so I hope). To me, the movement is symbolic as well: As a composer, I'm forever anticipating where the music is going next; I'm anticipating what the musicians/commissioners/consortium I'm writing for will think; I'm anticipating the premiere, how it will go, how it will be received; and I'm forever anticipating the next project I will be working on as well.
Anticipate, anticipate, anticipate. It plagues my mind.
I'm always wondering what's next, always excited for what's next. Sometimes, it's better had I not anticipated anything, for nothing was in store for me on the other side. But that's just hindsight (which is always 20/20). And yet, that doesn't stop me from experiencing the thrill and excitement (and anxiety even) that anticipation brings.
I hope you enjoy this work as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I encourage you to focus on the things that matter to you, those dreams that bring meaning and fulfillment and purpose to our lives.
I encourage you to manifest it. Let the world know you are open to receiving its wonders, that you are committed, so that the universe may work in your favor.
I encourage you to probe at the things you are most curious about, to dig deep and discover more of yourself and what matters to you. Manifesting isn't enough—probe, probe, probe.
And lastly, I encourage you to anticipate what's next, for there isn't a destination, but a "next". This "next" ensures you will forever grow, which is a good thing. If we aren't growing, we're dying."
Press:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/zNWjh2rQ9pxWVDZn/
https://entradas.tureservaonline.es/en/events/duo-lupo-xix-congreso-mundial-del-saxofon-2023
https://entradium.com/gl/events/duo-lupo-xix-congreso-mundial-del-saxofon-2023
https://www.facebook.com/grancanariasaxcongress/videos/349630200992826
Tenor Sax Edition premiered by Duo Lupo at the XIX World Saxophone Congress in Spain and available for purchase in this store as well