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)

3 Original Pieces for Saxophone Quartet. Three works with quotations from well-known composers are contained in this tongue-in-cheek collection. Otto M. Schwarz has produced an outstanding recording of these works with members of the Slovak Philharmonic, which is available on all streaming and download platforms. 1. THE AMADEUS WATCH: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?s own watch ? if he had one ? ticks away. The ticking carries us back in time with a piece that stylistically imitates the music of the 18th century in melody, harmony and rhythm. 2. COMPOSERS DINNER IN HEAVEN: At the music publisher De Haske, a composers? dinner was an integral part of trade fairs or meetings. The dinner was very popular among anyone who sat at it, not least of all because it offered one the opportunity to chat informally. ?Based on such a meeting, Otto M. Schwarz has a composed a work that describes an imaginary dinner of great classical masters on a cloud in the sky. Guess which composers are present by the references in the form of musical quotations and stylistic devices! 3. SCHERZO FOR SAXOPHONE QUARTET: The work, in 12/8 time, moves in a rapid furioso. Underscored by a continues eighth note rhythm, the work creates in the listener the sensation of a frantic rollercoaster ride. The theme moves throughout all the parts and, following a chromatically moving chord sequence, ends in a dramatic crescendo.

Michael Nyman is a composer pianist librettist writer musicologist photographer and film-maker whose work encompasses opera concert music and film soundtracks of which The Draughtsman's Contract and The Piano arethe best-known. Since founding the Michael Nyman Band in 1977 which tours the world he has worked with leading film directors and has collaborated with artists such as Mary Kelly Damon Albarn Carsten Nicolai and the recentOscar winning Man on Wire star Phillippe Petit.Songs For Tony for String Quartet was composed in 1993 in memory of Tony Simmons.'I began writing a saxophone quartet on New Year's Eve 1992. Inthe early afternoon of 5th January 1993 I was informed that my friend and business manager Tony Simmons had died after a long and heroic fight against cancer. I immediately sat down and wrote the music which became the fourthsong in what became a 'memorial' quartet. The previously composed music was scrapped as I decided to give each player in turn an 'aria' of his own.The first song is a transcription of an actual song - 'Mozart onMortality' - which I wrote for the Composers Ensemble in the spring of 1992. The text by Mozart himself is all too appropriate: 'I may not see another day'. The second song is adapted from the music for the scene in JaneCampion's film The Piano where the mute Ada (Holly Hunter) pushes her chief means of communication her piano overboard. This film was the last major deal that Tony negotiated on my behalf. The third song a soprano sax solo isbased on a tune I composed some years ago but was saving for a special occasion.' - Michael Nyman

Score and Parts-The Canonic Suite for quartet of alto saxophones is a revision made in 1981 of the Suite For Quartet Of Alto Saxophones. It was awarded a prize in 1945 by Broadcast Music Inc. and was first published that year. The Fanfare is a canon in four parts at the unison; the Nocturne a four-part canon in inversion (Sax 2) retrograde (Sax 3) and retrograde - inversion (Sax 4); the Tarantella a four-part canon at the second above.

Music Minus One Alto Sax-After years of neglect the saxophone quartet is rapidly regaining favor as an ensemble capable of the highest standards of musical expression. This is why many excellent composers especially those of French origin have written some of their best music for saxophone quartet so that today there exists a large repertory for this ensemble many of the best of which are included on this MMO album. Includes compositions by Pierne Boccherini Cailliet Clerisse and Hermann. Magnifique! Includes a high-quality printed music score and a compact disc containing a complete performance with soloist then a second version with the accompaniment minus you the soloist. Performed byArthur Ulichy alto saxophone

5 Original Pieces for Saxophone Quartet. A composition in five movements that sound as if from a former age. They are in fact newly composed pieces but, stylistically speaking, are ?historically accurate?. They can be performed separately or one after the other. The important thing is that the lead part at any point is given enough ?space? in terms of dynamics and overall balance. Old music, newly composed, at times cheerful and at others solemn, which create the very special charm of this composition.

Watermelon Sugar. Watermelon Sugar was the summer hit of the year 2020. It is a song by the British singer-songwriter Harry Styles, who felt inspired by the title of the American novel In Watermelon Sugar (1968) by Richard Brautigan. The melody of the chorus had already taken form during ?Live on Tour?, the debut tour that Styles embarked on in September 2017, finishing in July the following year. On a free day, Harry and his band went to The Cave Studio in Nashville, where they created the chorus melody. It is said that the song is about Styles? ex-girlfriend Camille Rowe. Seb Skelly arranged this catchy tune for saxophone quartet as a lasting memory of the extraordinary year 2020.

Roland Kernen has arranged the legendary Queen epic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' for Saxophone Quartet. Guaranteed to be an excellent addition to your ensemble's repertoire! Bohemian Rhapsody was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. This hugely popular song is a six-minute suite consisting of several sections without a chorus that promises to be bursting with nostalgia.

I had a call from an English pianist who was going to do a series of recitals in Mexico. He asked me if I had an original ragtime composition. I said I will write one for you in the next couple of days. So Brittania Rag started as a solo piano piece then I converted it to a piano duet and then to the saxophone quartet that you see here.

From the Television Series-Itâ??s the instantly recognisable theme from the incredibly popular US TV show now known by a whole new generation of fans thanks to the 2010 revival of the classic series. This is a brilliant arrangement by Mike Sheppard that gives every musician in the ensemble something cool to play. Itâ??s the instantly recognisable theme from the incredibly popular US TV show now known by a whole new generation of fans thanks to the 2010 revival of the classic series. This is a brilliant arrangement by Mike Sheppard that gives every musician in the ensemble something cool to play.