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Salonen began writing his Saxophone Concerto in Milan in 1980 and completed it in the following year. Later, in 1983, Salonen revised the concerto, creating its present version. In the earlier version, each of the three movements was preceded by a fragment from Kafka's novel The Trial, but in the later version these headings have been omitted. Nevertheless, the work is also known by the original title of the second movement ... auf der ersten Blick und ohne zu wissen... (At first sight and without knowing).The Saxophone Concerto was Salonen's first extensive work. He has cited a number of widely differing sources of inspiration for it, such as French Impressionism, Italian Modernism, American Minimalism and Sibelius's Seventh Symphony, all of which are no doubt included though fused into a single idiom. The work is characterized by a bright and lucid texture and rapid shifts from one texture to another. This is highlighted by the orchestration: the first movement has only winds and percussion in addition to the soloist, while the second movement only has percussion and the third movement has strings and percussion.© Kimmo Korhonen, 1999(translated by © Jaakko Mäntyjärvi)(From Finlandia CD 3894-23409-2, 1999)Salonen aloitti saksofonikonserton säveltämisen Milanossa vuonna 1980 ja saattoi sen päätöksen seuraavana vuonna. Sittemmin vuonna 1983 Salonen teki konsertosta korjatun, nykyisin tunnetun version. Varhaisemmassa versiossa teoksen jokaiseen kolmeen osaan liittyi otsikkona fagmentti Kafkan romaanista Oikeusjuttu, mutta myöhemmästä versiosta nämä otsikot on jätetty pois. Silti teos tunnetaan myös toisen osan otsikkona olleen katkelman nimellä ... auf der ersten Blick und ohne zu wissen....Saksofonikonsertto oli Salosen ensimmäinen laajamuotoinen teos. Hän on maininnut sen taustalta niinkin erilaisia innoituksenlähteitä kuin ranskalaisen impressionismin, italialaisen modernismin, amerikkalaisen minimalismin ja Sibeliuksen seitsemännen sinfonian, ja kaikki nämä ovat varmasti tavalla tai toisella mukana mutta yhtenäiseksi ilmaisuksi sulautuen. Teoksen musiikkia leimaa kirkkaus ja selkeys sekä nopeat leikkaukset erilaisista tekstuureista toisiin. Eri tekstuuritilanteita korostaa vielä orkestraatio, sillä ensimmäisessä osassa ovat solistin lisäksi mukana puhaltimet ja lyömäsoittimet, toisessa osassa vain lyömäsoittimet ja kolmannessa osassa jousisto ja lyömäsoittimet.© Kimmo Korhonen, 1999(Finlandia CD 3894-23409-2, 1999)

Year of composing

Arranger

Movements

Availability

Abbreviation	Instrument
Woodwind
acl	alto clarinet
afl	alto flute
arec	alto recorder
asax	alto saxophone
barsax	baritone saxophone
barhn	baritone horn
bcl	bass clarinet
bfl	bass flute
bob	bass oboe
bsax	bass saxophone
bsn	bassoon
cbsn	contrabassoon
cl	clarinet
ehn	English horn
fl	flute
hn	French horn
ob	oboe
pic	piccolo
rec	recorder
sax	saxophone
srec	soprano recorder
ssax	soprano saxophone
trec	tenor recorder
tsax	tenor saxophone
Brass
ahn	alto horn
atrb	altotrombone
barhn	baritone horn
btrb	bass trombone
cornet	cornet
euph	euphonium
fhn	flugelhorn
hn	French horn
tba	tuuba
thn	tenor horn
trb	trombone
trp	trumpet
Percussion
dr	drums
glock	glockenspiel
mar	marimba
perc	percussion
timp	timpani
vibr	vibraphone
xyl	xylophone
Strings
db	double bass
gamba	viola da gamba
str	strings
vla	viola
vlc	cello
vln	violin
Other
acc	accordion
cel	celesta
cemb	harpsichord
chords	chords
elbas	electric bass
elg	electric guitar
elorg	electric organ
elpno	electric piano
guit	guitar
harm	harmonium
hca	harmonica
hp	harp
instr	instrument
kantele	kantele
keyb	keyboard
live electr	live electronics
mand	mandolin
mel	melody
org	organ
pno	piano
synth	synthesizer
tape	tape
Vocal
alto	alto
baryt	baritone
basso	bass voice
ch	choir
chc	childrens choir
chf	female choir
chm	male choir
chx	mixed choir
cten	countertenor
mezzo	mezzo-soprano
sopr	soprano
speaker	speaker
ten	tenor
voc	vocal

Symphony orchestra
2222 4331 11 1, str = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, one other percussionist, harp and strings
Wind band
2252 3 423 21212 3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons - 3 saxophones - 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones - 2 cornets, alto horn, 2 tenor horns, baritone horn, 2 tubas - 3 percussionists
Big band
221 4 4, pno, guit, db, dr = 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, guitar, double bass, drums
Additional codes
+	fl+pic = flutist doubles on piccolo
/	pno/org = can be played on either piano or organ
lib	ad libitum
obl	obligato
str	str: 65432 = specified number of string players
str min	str min: 65432 = at least 65432
str max	str max: 65432 = not more than 65432
solo	vln solo = violin is the solo instrument in a work not obviously for solo violin

Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra