Con-Tse-To – a Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Concert Band was composed in 2013 at the request of Kenneth Tse. It is in three movements – 1. Pasodoble Melanie, 2. Lamento and 3. Danza Jubiloso. First performance was July 14, 2013 for the Hong Kong International Saxophone Symposium at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Hong Kong Chamber Wind Philharmonic; Victor Tam, Conductor; Kenneth Tse, Saxophone Soloist.

The first movement – Pasodoble Melanie, is in the traditional form of the march in Spain knownas the Pasodoble. It has a beginning theme in traditional march style using Spanish flavor harmoniesand melodies. As the Spanish pasodoble is in the same form as American marches, the second theme isthe “Trio” section. In the Spanish pasodoble, it is customary to have the first presentation of this secondtheme played extremely softly in the clarinets. It is also common during the repeat of the Trio to have a soloist such as a piccolo displaying an obligato of great virtuosic melodies in counterpoint to the clarinets. I felt this would be a very appropriate place for an alto saxophone obligato. In this pasodoble the thirdpresentation of the Trio is shortened to allow for the first cadenza. Since I met Kenneth Tse for the first time in Buñol (Valencia), Spain, I thought it would be very appropriate to use this traditional form for the firstmovement for his concerto. It is a Spanish custom for a composer to give a pasodoble composition as a gift such as to a musician or politician and the title of the piece often references the name of recipient’s wife. Kenneth Tse’s wife’s name is Melanie so this movement is dedicated to her.

The second movement – Lamento was adapted from a melody of mine “El año del Trumpetista” originally composed in 2010. I thought the beautiful sound of Dr. Tse’s saxophone playing would be very complimentary for this melody.

The third movement – Danza Jubiloso is in allegro tempo with the first theme based on leaps of afourth and an octave in duple meter. The second theme is mostly in 7/8 meter. There is also a bit of a jazz element of harmonies and the added instruments of a drum set and jazz double bass in pizzicato.

Con-Tse-To was awarded Finalist category in the Band Composition Competition of the American Prize in 2017. One of only two Concertos with Band awarded that year. The full band instrumentation is available on Musica Nova USA.

Gregory Fritze is a prize-winning composer and Fulbright Scholar, as well as an active performer. He recently retired from Berklee College of Music where he was Professor and Chair of Composition, serving on the faculty from 1979 to 2016. He has written over ninety compositions for orchestra, band, chamberensembles and soloists. He has won over fifty composition awards both nationally and internationally. His compositions include works published by several publishers in the United States, South America and Europe that have been performed extensively throughout the world.

He has been a frequent traveler to Spain since 1993 and has promoted compositions by Spanish composers around the world. He is the only composer who has been commissioned six times by Spanishbands for Certamen competitions, with each band winning first prize.

His compositions are recorded on Albany Records, MSR Classics, Crystal Records, Mark Records and others. He has been a guest lecturer, conductor and performer at many colleges, universities and music festivals in the United States, Canada, Japan, South America and Europe. He was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1954 and has Composition degrees from the Boston Conservatory and Indiana University. He now resides in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida.

The piano transcription was done by Derek Remeš.