Instrumentation: Alto saxophone and organ

Duration: 18:00

Programmatic information:

Commissioned by the Edmonton Composer Concert Society for saxophonist Charles Stolte

Programme notes provided by composer:

The word “Carolingian” is not meant to allude to Charlemagne or his medieval dynasty of kings, but is a playful reference to another contemporary Charles of no lesser magnitude who plays the saxophone and for whom this music is written. The term “temperaments” does not refer to his intonation or the relation of pitches emanating from his instrument (a kind of modern “Well/ill-tempered Saxophone”). It rather deals with some of the various contrasting states of the human mind: fury, indifference, nostalgia, uninhibited playfulness, and humour.

The main theme of the work is derived from the full name of the dedicatee using Latin, German and a close match of French note names:

C – B natural  – A – D – A – E natural – E b – E b – B b – A – B natural – E natural .

This theme is treated extensively and as quasi ostinato in the first movement (a varied da capo) but it also generates the main motifs of the second and third movement (especially the rising fourth and falling second motif). Both saxophone and organ are instruments with an astounding variety of timbres, dynamics, and possibilities for characterization and they compliment each other in a unique way.

In the first movement (Passion and Dispassion) the bright sound edge of both instruments is used to highlight frenzy or cold abstraction.

The second movement (Contemplation) makes use of the warm, darker, lyrical colours of both instruments with elaborate contrapuntal lines.

The third movement (Celebration) displays another side of each: brilliance, poignancy, playfulness, humour, and something off the burlesque with shorter motifs and rhythmic drive – elements which were already richly explored earlier in the organ music of the German Baroque. Like its Baroque counterparts, the “Celebration” movement makes use of existing stylized dance. This includes traditional dances like the Minuet and Polka and a wistful Habanera, but also elements of 20th century jazz, including – what else? – the “Charles-ton”.

Instrumentation: Alto saxophone and chamber orchestra

Programmatic information:

Programme notes provided by composer:

The Alto-Saxophone Concerto is a reworking of my earlier 1994 Triptych, Carolingian Temperaments for Alto-Saxophone and Organ, commissioned by the Edmonton Composer Concert Society for saxophonist Charles Stolte. The name “Carolingian” was a playful reference to the name “Charles” and “temperaments” refers to various “moods”, contrasting states of the human mind: fury and indifference; nostalgia; uninhibited playfulness and humor.

In the 1994 version, the saxophone and organ complemented each other in a unique way as instruments with their astounding variety of timbres, dynamics and possibilities for characterization. At Polish saxophonist Dariusz Samol’s request, the organ-saxophone Triptych was reworked, extended and orchestrated in 2005 as an Alto-Saxophone Concerto. Two movements of the concerto premiered at the 4th International Saxophone Festival in Szczecin, Poland on April 8, 2006 with soloist Dariusz Samol and the Orkiestra Opery na Zamku under the direction of Jacek Kraszewski, in a program called “Canada Meets Poland” sponsored by the Edmonton Composers Concert Society and the Canadian Embassy. On February 15, 2009 the complete concerto received its North-American premiere during the North American Saxophone Alliance IX Conference, Convocation Hall, University of Alberta with soloist Charles Stolte and the Edmonton Chamber Players underMaestro Jacek Rogala

The relationship between soloist and orchestra in this concerto is one of ensemble work and a blended structure rather than dialogue, although there is some discourse in the third movement. The finale is expanded with a cadenza and new coda in which the main themes from Movement I and II reappear. The main theme of the work is derived from the name “Charles Stolte” using Latin, German and a close match of French note names:

This theme is treated extensively and as quasi ostinato in the first movement (a varied da capo) but it also generates the main motifs of the second and third movement (especially the rising fourth and falling second motif). In the final section of the third movement the full theme reappears. In the first movement (“Passion and dispassion”) the bright sound edge of the instruments is used to highlight frenzy or cold abstraction. The Piccolo simulates something of the quint-mutation effect of the organ mixture or cymbal. The second (“Contemplation”), makes use of the warm, darker, lyrical colors of the instruments with elaborate contrapuntal lines. “Celebration” (III) displays other characteristics and timbres: brilliance, poignancy, playfulness, humor, and something of the burlesque, with shorter motifs and rhythmic drive. It also uses stylized dance including traditional dances like the Minuet and Polka and a wistful Habanera, but also elements of 20^th century Jazz, including the “Charles-ton”. As in the case of my other works, the Concerto is in a neo-tonal style.

Three movement work: 

1. Passione e ragione (Passion and Dispassion)
2. Nostalgia (Contemplation)
3. Festa di danze (Celebration)

Instrumentation: Alto saxophone and organ 

Duration: 16:00

Programmatic information

Programme notes provided by composer:

When my esteemed colleagues, Drs. William Street and Marnie Giesbrecht,
approached me with the request for a new piece for Alto-Saxophone and Organ, I
thought of honouring them by creating a motif/theme with some reference to their
names. I chose the first and last letter of their last names (G, S, T, T), transcribed
into English, German and French letter names as g –E-flat – B – b. This motif,
especially the interval of the falling or rising major third/diminished fourth or
expanded as an augmented chord, is heard directly or in an oblique way in all
three movements. In the first movement, Passacaglia and Fugue, the four-note
motif is expanded into a twelve-tone theme, though treated in a tonal fashion. In
the second movement it has a more lyrical character; in the last, it appears as a
more figurative theme with cluster chords.

The title Passage du Temps is not so much a reference to music as a time art, but
an homage to some of the great compositional devices and styles since 1700 to

which I feel indebted: from the contrapuntal techniques by Bach in I, the quasi-
ostinati accompanying a cantilene by Vivaldi and Bach (II, main theme), the

French Romantic organ genre pieces (II, middle section) to the more “edgy” neo-
Classic style of the early 20th century.

The organ registrations serve as a general guide to the desired timbres and
textures, but will require adjustments from one instrument to another to ensure the
proper balance between the instruments.

Three movement work

l. Passacaille et Fugue

ll. Passion et Pastoral

lll. Pas de Deux

Instrumentation: Alto saxophone and orchestra

Programmatic information:

Programme notes provided by composer:

Like my First Concerto for Alto-Saxophone the second one , “Passage of Time”, is a reworking of
an original work for alto-saxophone and organ, in which the organ score is transcribed for
orchestra. The original work in this case was my “Passage du Temps” (2016), commissioned by
my Edmonton colleagues, saxophonist Dr. William Street and organist, Dr. Marnie Giesbrecht,
and was premiered by them, January 22, 2017 at the University of Alberta.

The central unifying 4-note motif for the three-movement work was derived from a tribute to their
names, i.e. the first and last letter of their last names (G, S, T, T), transcribed into English,
German and French letter names as g –E-flat – B – b. This motif, especially the interval of the
falling or rising major third/diminished fourth or expanded as an augmented chord, is heard
directly or in an oblique way in all three movements. In the first movement, Passacaglia and
Fugue, the four-note motif is expanded into a twelve-tone theme, though treated in a
tonal-chromatic fashion. In the second movement the four note- (or augmented chord-) motif is
treated in a more lyrical fashion; in the last, it appears as a more figurative theme with cluster
chords.

The title Passage of Time/Passage du Temps is not so much a reference to music as a time art,
but a homage to some of the great compositional devices and styles since 1700 to which I feel
indebted: From the contrapuntal techniques by Bach in I, the quasi-ostinati accompanying a
cantilene by Vivaldi and Bach (II, main theme), the French Romantic organ genre pieces (II,
middle section) to the more “edgy” neo-Classic style of the early 20th century, especially Bartok
and Stravinsky.

The orchestration posed some challenges in terms of timbre, texture and especially the tonal
range of instruments. An organ reed stop, e.g. has a range covering the whole organ keyboard,
whereas the range of the individual wind instrument is limited, which necessitated some dividing
between instruments or adjustments. At the end of the second movement the original saxophonepart
and organ reed-part had to be reversed in the orchestral version to allow for the tonal
compass of the English Horn.