Concerto for Saxophone & Wind Symphony (2003)

 

 

 

 

Commissioned by Joseph Lulloff, the premiere took place on December 5, 2005, with Lulloff as soloist and the Michigan State University Wind Symphony under the direction of John Whitwell in the Great Hall of the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts.

 

Publisher: C. Alan Publications

 

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Scored for Piccolo, Flutes 1, 2, 3; Oboes 1, 2; Soprano Clarinet (Eb), Clarinets 1, 2, 3 (Bb), Bass Clarinet (Bb); Bassoons 1, 2; Alto Saxophone Solo (doubling Soprano Saxophone in the second movement); Trumpet (Bb); Horns 1, 2 (F): Trombone, Bass Trombone; Euphonium, Tuba; Double Bass; Percussion 1, 2, 3.

 

Duration: 18 minutes

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Program notes

My memory of the moment is quite vivid. It was June 1, 2003, an absolutely beautiful Saturday, near the steps to the Alumni Chapel on the Michigan State University campus. One of our colleague’s daughters had just been married inside the chapel. The guests were waiting in line to express their best wishes to the bride and groom. This is when Joe Lulloff approached me with the proposal that I compose a concerto for him, a concerto for saxophone and wind symphony. I responded that I would love to do it and that I would get to it as soon as I completed another couple of commissions.

It is ironic that I would recall this day so vividly and then almost completely forget what I wrote for Joe in the fall of 2003. In the two years since completing the concerto I have penned ten more compositions; the music of the concerto simply found its way to the back burner of my memory. What a surprise I had when I started to write this program note and discovered that I remembered almost nothing of the piece. As I perused the score and began listening to my computer files, the music slowly returned to my ears, and this is what I heard:

A first movement that poses some eternal question, wrestles with it, and concludes without discovering the answer. A second movement that reaches for the truth, and perhaps gets close, but has to settle for something inconclusive. And finally, in the third movement some force of nature breaks the code. The eternal question seems to evaporate as the music of the finale pushes forward with immense force. It is completely confident – totally unstoppable.

Jere Hutcheson

September 26, 2005

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