Composed in 1949 the Concerto pour saxophone alto et orchestra by Henri Tomasi (1901-1971) was dedicated to Marcel Mule a renowned French Saxophonist. It was written as a Paris Conservatoire Contest piece and was performed by Mule himself in 1949. This publication is the Alto Saxophone and Piano adaptation of the Concerto. Written in two movements it begins with a secretive introduction leading to a cadenza that reminds of the introduction. It follows on the second part with an Allegro which finishes unexpectedly on an intense suite of fast notes to congregate on a strong Largo. Henri Tomasi is the French composer conductor and winner of the Grand Prix de Rome in 1927 He composed a variety of concerti (16) for Trumpet Violin Viola Clarinet Trombone Horn Oboe Flute as well as Ballets Orchestra Ballades and other pieces.

Historical information about Händel's Water Music Suites is limited, but certainly these works were intended for two, possibly three, parties given by King George I on the Thames River, London, between 1715 and 1736. Händel and his orchestra played on a barge. Since then the some twenty-two separate original pieces have been organized into three Suites and nicknamed 'Water Music?, each having a separate key and likely corresponding to these river parties. This transcription of Water Music Suite II for saxophone quartet has two purposes: to make this music available to saxophonists for performance and education, and to provide in one volume the entire Suite II. The exception to the latter, because of the limits of endurance, is the exclusion of the short Adagio, a brief interlude between the fi rst two movements. Included though are the Allegro, Hornpipe, Minuet, Lentement, and Bourree. These works were originally meant for an outdoor performance, and one of the original intentions of the saxophone was to play in French military bands, also an open-air purpose. The original scoring of brass, woodwind, and string instruments (but no continuo) transcribe well for saxophones. Matching the ranges of instruments of the original to the saxophone quartet was a primary objective. In addition, this arrangement strives to disperse melodic material to all four saxophones so as to make the arrangement pleasing to all the members of the quartet while providing variety to an audience. Any dynamic, articulation, and tempo markings are to be taken only as suggestions so as to allow interpretation by the performers. The musical study and performance of all styles while using examples of composition and performance that represent excellence is necessary for saxophonists who wish to be well-rounded musicians. For the above reasons saxophonists are urged to listen to recordings of the original orchestration in order to learn and imitate proper interpretation of Baroque style. There are currently a number of excellent recordings of Handel's Suites on period instruments, such as (but not limited to) those by conductors John Eliot Gardiner, Christopher Hogwood, and the ensemble Tafelmusik. The Lewis-Clark State College Saxophone Quartet has for many years enjoyed performing Suite II for concerts, ceremonies and social settings, and I thank Advance Music for the opportunity to bring these great works to the profession. / 4 Saxophones (SATBar)

Concertino Da Camera written in 1935 by Jacques Ibert (1890-1962) is a small concerto for Alto Saxophone and eleven instruments: Flute Bassoon Oboe Horn Trumpet and Strings. This concertino in two movements Allegro con moto and Larghetto РAnimato Molto is dedicated to the saxophonist Sigurd Rascher and is notable for its large use of the Alto-Saxophone. It can be technically-challenging and has a strong lyrical part. This volume features the parts for all instruments as well as the full score. Its author Jacques Ibert (1890-1962) is a neoclassical composer who won the Prix de Rome in1919. He composed many symphonic suites operas and seven orchestras including 'Angelique' (1926) and 'Divertissement' (1930). He was also in charge of the Accad̩mie de France in the Villa M̩dicis (Roma) and was later administrator for the Paris Opera. This concerto has some similarities with his Flute Concerto (1934) also published by Alphonse Leduc.

for soprano saxophone and chamber orchestra. Par BRYARS GAVIN. The piece is dedicated to John Harle and the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, who commissioned it with funds made available by South West Arts. It makes use of the saxophone's ability to play long expressive melodic passages, and was written too, having seen the Sinfonietta perform, with some of its individual players in mind. Although played without a break, the piece does fall into a number of recognisable sections delineated by a change of tempo, or by a substantial shift of texture. For example, shortly before the end, there is a passage where the saxophone is accompanied by 21 solo strings - the entire string section playing divisi, followed by a coda, which contains simultaneous 'laments' (for saxophone, cor anglais, French horn, and solo violin). The Green Ray is the title of a romantic novel by Jules Verne, set in the West of Scotland, in which a peculiar atmospheric phenomenon plays the key part. A 'green ray' is seen at sunset in certain latitudes, and in certain coastal conditions, just as the sun touches the horizon and, for a brief moment, the orange sun emits a green ray of light. In the Verne story the simultaneous sighting of the ray will seal a couple's love, and the attempts of a young man to do this are constantly frustrated (by sudden clouds, by a yacht passing along the horizon, and so on). This part of Western Scotland is also the place where certain piping traditions originated. Male pipers practised in one cave on the seashore, females in another ( the 'piper's cave' and the 'pigeon's cave'). As they played their laments at twilight a triangulation, similar to that in the Verne story (male-ray-female) may well have occurred without the knowledge of the innocent participants, hence the sequence of simultaneous laments in the coda. On one occasion I witnessed the green ray in Southern California. I was returning along the coast after having climbed up Mt. Tecate, on the top of which is a house, now empty, where Evans-Wentz translated The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Gavin Bryars./ Répertoire / Saxophone Soprano et Piano