Saxophone Quartet No. 3 (2011)
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Duration 13:00
For performance materials, contact the composer at bfs217@gmail.com. Recording also available on iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify. CD IRIDIUM SAXOPHONE QUARTET Into Xylonia Blue Griffin Recording BG 319 |
Program Notes
Saxophone Quartet No. 3 was commissioned by the Iridium Saxophone Quartet to be performed on tour in Puerto Rico in October 2011. The work is in three distinct sections, using a traditional fast-slow-fast design, with no pauses in between. The initial tempo between each of the continuous movements remains constant. Each note-value’s speed remains the same, but the grouping becomes different. The first section groups the sixteenth-notes into 3’s, indicating the dotted sixteenth-note is 144 bpm. The second section uses the half-note for the pulse (54 bpm) and the third section the quarter note (108 bpm). Other groupings that are found along the way are the eighth note (216 bpm) and the dotted quarter-note (72 bpm).
The structure of the piece was developed according to Fibonacci numbers (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and 55). The total duration is around 12 minutes, where the first section is 4 minutes (1+1+2), the second is 3 minutes, and the final section is 5 minutes. The opening of the work uses the sequence to control the thematic material. The gesture is introduced in one measure, and then extended to two measures… then 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and 55. Each repetition is different in some way and after these 10 processes are heard,
the material repeats once again, but does not complete the cycle. The performers may notice that the meter changes cause the sequence to not seem to add up precisely; however, the calculations were made based on the entire opening movement barred in
10/16 so the length of each section would adhere to the Fibonacci sequence. The second movement begins without a break and opens with long tones using various speeds of vibrato (or no vibrato at all). This section provides a brief moment for the performers and listeners to clear their ears from all the previous rapid movement and energy, holding them in anticipation for the unusually dense harmonies that ensue. The harmonies are linked to Fibonacci by way of making use of seconds, thirds, fifths, and octaves both vertically and horizontally, but were not composed exclusively using the sequence. A short solo section introduces what seems to be the key of G-sharp minor, followed immediately by a chorale setting using same, tightly grouped harmonies from before. This is briefly interrupted by the main gesture from the first movement (twice as slow) and ends with another iteration of the G-sharp minor solo section and a recap of the opening of the second movement.
The third movement starts around the Golden Ratio (but is actually anti-climactic) and builds on the major second until four consecutive whole-steps are heard simultaneously. The rhythmic gestures start to overlap at different times and build tension until arriving at a section that sounds a bit like a polka. The speed is increased dramatically until the material from the first movement is introduced almost at the same speed, but now in a different meter. The piece ends with ascending scales, played as quickly as possible, up to a soprano saxophone growl and right into the final three notes.
Performances
Saxophone Quartet No. 3 was commissioned by the Iridium Saxophone Quartet to be performed on tour in Puerto Rico in October 2011. The work is in three distinct sections, using a traditional fast-slow-fast design, with no pauses in between. The initial tempo between each of the continuous movements remains constant. Each note-value’s speed remains the same, but the grouping becomes different. The first section groups the sixteenth-notes into 3’s, indicating the dotted sixteenth-note is 144 bpm. The second section uses the half-note for the pulse (54 bpm) and the third section the quarter note (108 bpm). Other groupings that are found along the way are the eighth note (216 bpm) and the dotted quarter-note (72 bpm).
The structure of the piece was developed according to Fibonacci numbers (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and 55). The total duration is around 12 minutes, where the first section is 4 minutes (1+1+2), the second is 3 minutes, and the final section is 5 minutes. The opening of the work uses the sequence to control the thematic material. The gesture is introduced in one measure, and then extended to two measures… then 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and 55. Each repetition is different in some way and after these 10 processes are heard,
the material repeats once again, but does not complete the cycle. The performers may notice that the meter changes cause the sequence to not seem to add up precisely; however, the calculations were made based on the entire opening movement barred in
10/16 so the length of each section would adhere to the Fibonacci sequence. The second movement begins without a break and opens with long tones using various speeds of vibrato (or no vibrato at all). This section provides a brief moment for the performers and listeners to clear their ears from all the previous rapid movement and energy, holding them in anticipation for the unusually dense harmonies that ensue. The harmonies are linked to Fibonacci by way of making use of seconds, thirds, fifths, and octaves both vertically and horizontally, but were not composed exclusively using the sequence. A short solo section introduces what seems to be the key of G-sharp minor, followed immediately by a chorale setting using same, tightly grouped harmonies from before. This is briefly interrupted by the main gesture from the first movement (twice as slow) and ends with another iteration of the G-sharp minor solo section and a recap of the opening of the second movement.
The third movement starts around the Golden Ratio (but is actually anti-climactic) and builds on the major second until four consecutive whole-steps are heard simultaneously. The rhythmic gestures start to overlap at different times and build tension until arriving at a section that sounds a bit like a polka. The speed is increased dramatically until the material from the first movement is introduced almost at the same speed, but now in a different meter. The piece ends with ascending scales, played as quickly as possible, up to a soprano saxophone growl and right into the final three notes.
Performances
- April 2, 2014, University of Houston
- April 1, 2014, Texas A&M (College Station)
- November 8, 2011, Sacramento State Festival of New American Music, Sacramento, CA
- October 11, 2011, Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, San Germán Campus, Capilla Paul A. Wolfe
- October 9, 2011, Primera Iglesia Bautista de Caguas, Puerto Rico
- October 8, 2011, Conservatorio de musica de Puerto Rico, Miramar (San Juan)