Canzona, for saxophone ensemble (2020)

Duration: 5 minutes

Instrumentation: 2 soprano saxophones, 4 alto saxophones, 3 tenor saxophones, 3 baritone saxophones

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Premiere: February 27, 2021 at Cedar Ridge Performing Arts Center in Round Rock, TX by the Cedar Ridge High School Saxophone Ensemble, Arminda Velasquez, director

Canzona was inspired by the polychoral music of Gabrielli and other Renaissance composers. Throughout this piece, three musical ideas are used: a strange, unaccompanied melody, a relaxed counterpoint typical of Renaissance choral music, and a more animated style of music, which I think of as a toccata or fanfare. Canzona begins with a slow fugue on the strange melody, starting with a solo baritone saxophone and gradually introducing more voices. After this, a series of call and response phrases introduce the choral-style music, building to a brief appearance of the toccata idea. Throughout the piece, these ingredients are recombined and developed until they all come crashing together in an intense conclusion.

Notes:

Canzona was inspired by the polychoral music of Gabrielli and other Renaissance composers. Throughout this piece, three musical ideas are used: a strange, unaccompanied melody, a relaxed counterpoint typical of Renaissance choral music, and a more animated style of music, which I think of as a toccata or fanfare. Canzona begins with a slow fugue on the strange melody, starting with a solo baritone saxophone and gradually introducing more voices. After this, a series of call and response phrases introduce the choral-style music, building to a brief appearance of the toccata idea. Throughout the piece, these ingredients are recombined and developed until they all come crashing together in an intense conclusion.