Three Short Pieces for Unaccompanied Saxophone

Description

Duration: 5’30”

Premiere Info
“Three Short Pieces for Unaccompanied Saxophone” was first performed during a student
composer recital at New England Conservatory on May 19, 2014. Heather Niemi Savage
performed the piece on tenor saxophone. The piece was publicly premiered on October 7,
2016 in Clinton, MS by renowned saxophonist Lawrence S. Gwozdz, who performed it on alto
saxophone at the National Conference of the Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers.

Program notes
“Three Short Pieces for Unaccompanied Saxophone” uses intervallic and rhythmic motifs in a
single-instrument contrapuntal style with rapid movement between the registers of the
saxophone. The 1st movement is based on the semi-tone in all its inversions: minor 2nds, major
7ths, and minor 9ths. The 2nd movement is based on the whole tone. The fast third movement,
while using a broader range of intervals, brings the first two movements together by
prominently featuring the semi-tone and the tritone (consisting of three whole steps) while a
galloping rhythm propels it forward.