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UBC Theses and Dissertations

Music for a saxophone concerto Leggatt, Jacqueline

Abstract

Music for a Saxophone Concerto is a nineteen minute work for solo Bb soprano saxophone, string orchestra and percussion. It contains three movements with an Interlude between the first and second movements and is performed without breaks between movements. The discussion of Music for a Saxophone Concerto begins with a detailed analysis of the piece. Each movement is examined for its large and small-scale form, its pitch structure, and its links with other movements or sections in the piece. Next, the title is discussed since it is not traditional and serves to distance the listener from traditional concerti and make them question their assumptions when they sit down to listen to a saxophone concerto. For this reason, it is important to discuss briefly the Baroque, Romantic, and twentieth-century concerto to determine in which ways my piece would frustrate or compliment a modem listener's expectations. The concept of partnership is most obvious in the Baroque concerto and in neo-classical works of the twentieth century (like Stravinsky's Violin Concerto). The idea of opposing forces is more common in the Romantic period and twentieth century as exemplified by Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5 and Schoenberg's Violin Concerto. While Music for a Saxophone Concerto utilizes a Baroque dance in the first movement, it is neither a real partnership nor a relationship between conflicting characters, but rather seeks to use the concept of the soloist as 'individual' and the orchestra as 'society' in a way that demonstrates their complete integration. For this reason, contrasting textures, instrumentation, orchestration, and forms have been chosen which all, in different ways, experiment with idea of the soloist and orchestra as mutually inclusive. The use of saxophone with strings is a continuation of a rich saxophone concerto tradition but the choice of soprano saxophone is less traditional and thus, with the title and many of the formal details, leads the listener to an appreciation of the possibilities inherent in an anti-concerto.

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