KAFKA - Concerto for Saxophone
My latest work "KAFKA - Concerto for Saxophone" is almost complete! This piece was commissioned by Prof. Peter Sommer at Colorado State University and will be premiered November 7, 2011 as part of the Aries Composers Festival. On this page, I've provided a preview of the work as MIDI demos as well as program notes and the full score for two of the movements. Let me know what you think!
Perusal Score: Movement I Movement III
Movement I. "The Bucket Rider" (MIDI Demo w/ saxophone solo)
Perusal Score: Movement I Movement III
Movement I. "The Bucket Rider" (MIDI Demo w/ saxophone solo)
Movement III. "Gregor Samsa" (MIDI Demo)
Program Notes:
Franz Kafka is without question one of the most fascinating and profound writers of the twentieth century, and, like many before me, his works captivated my attention from a very young age. The challenge of capturing the elusive nature of Kafka’s stories is at the heart of my new concerto for saxophone.
The work is cast in the typical three movements with each representing a particular character from Kafka’s output. “The Bucket Rider” is depicted as a spacious and lyrical etude that evokes the character’s mysterious ascent into the sky that concludes this story. The central movement, scored for a trio of saxophone, cello, and an electronic harp, centers around “A Hunger Artist” whose torture is heard in microtonal clouds of distorted sounds. The final movement is based on Kafka’s most famous character: Gregor Samsa from “The Metamorphosis.” Here, the transformed man’s psyche is heard through the increasingly chaotic dance rhythms of his new insectile legs.
This composition draws on many seemingly disparate sources, but seeks to create a singular vision of Kafka’s characters. The “humanity” of the jazz tenor saxophone combined with the clarity of a chamber orchestra and the harsh expansiveness of digital sounds seemed to somehow complement the enigmatic nature of these stories. It is my hope, then, that the work will be perceived as an unusual but satisfactory solution to an extremely rewarding challenge.
Franz Kafka is without question one of the most fascinating and profound writers of the twentieth century, and, like many before me, his works captivated my attention from a very young age. The challenge of capturing the elusive nature of Kafka’s stories is at the heart of my new concerto for saxophone.
The work is cast in the typical three movements with each representing a particular character from Kafka’s output. “The Bucket Rider” is depicted as a spacious and lyrical etude that evokes the character’s mysterious ascent into the sky that concludes this story. The central movement, scored for a trio of saxophone, cello, and an electronic harp, centers around “A Hunger Artist” whose torture is heard in microtonal clouds of distorted sounds. The final movement is based on Kafka’s most famous character: Gregor Samsa from “The Metamorphosis.” Here, the transformed man’s psyche is heard through the increasingly chaotic dance rhythms of his new insectile legs.
This composition draws on many seemingly disparate sources, but seeks to create a singular vision of Kafka’s characters. The “humanity” of the jazz tenor saxophone combined with the clarity of a chamber orchestra and the harsh expansiveness of digital sounds seemed to somehow complement the enigmatic nature of these stories. It is my hope, then, that the work will be perceived as an unusual but satisfactory solution to an extremely rewarding challenge.
