ELLEN TAAFFE ZWILICH
Quintet for Alto Saxophone and String Quartet
Premiered by Ashu (saxophone) and the Chicago Chamber Musicians. January, 2008. Commissioned by AFCM, Fontana Chamber Arts, Michigan State University, and the Detroit Chamber Music Society. |
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Sponsored by: AFCM portion of the commission sponsored by the "Brussels Sprouts" (Ghislaine Polak, Richard De Roeck, and Jean-Paul Bierny).
Composer's website at www.presser.com
The composer on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Taaffe_Zwilich
Performances (12/7/09): ASHU with Pacifica Quartet (Tucson) Erik Ronmark with Pacifica Quartet (Detroit, Chicago, Urbana, Calgary).
Published: Theodore Presser Company "The score and alto sax part is published by Theodore Presser Company; parts are available from them on request."
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich emerged in the last two decades of the twentieth century as one of the most recognized and sought after composers in the classical music world. Her success reflects the firm foothold of so-called neo-Romanticism in contemporary orchestral repertoire and a move among many composers to find an expressive, intuitive musical language more resonant with universal human emotion than earlier, more fractious and detached twentieth century trends.
The composer writes: “I’m the kind of composer who has a ‘wish list’ of works I’m eager to write, but on occasion someone suggests an idea not on my ‘list’ that I find immediately exciting and the leads me in an unexpected direction. My Quintet for Alto Saxophone and String Quartet was inspired by such a suggestion. In honor of the diverse musical ideas stimulated by Jean-Paul Bierny’s suggested medium, I dedicate the piece to him.
“My ideal concept for chamber music is a conversation among equals, a conversation that is unique to the parties involved. In the instance the alto sax brings a luscious singing quality and a certain sassy attitude to the mix, while the strings offer their amazing agility and variety of articulation, color and phrasing. One of the great pleasures in writing (or playing or listening to) chamber music is that each player can be a virtuoso soloist one moment and a sensitive partner the next, and this ‘electricity’ becomes an agent of musical form.
“My Quintet for Alto Saxophone and String Quartet is in three movements: the first is slow (quarter note=66), the second is fast (quarter note =132), and the third is both slow and fast (quarter note=60; 126; 120).
Quintet for Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Contrabass
Performed by Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio and Michael Tree, viola, Harold Robinson, double bass
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Commissioned by AFCM and 11 other presenters. AFCM's portion of the commission sponsored by Jean-Paul Bierny and Chris Tanz
Ms. Zwilich writes about her 2011 work: “My Quintet (for the same instrumentation as the great “Trout” Quintet by Franz Schubert) is in three movements, the second of which has the title “Die Launische Forelle” (roughly translated: “The Moody Trout”). I couldn’t resist using a very small quote from the Schubert song on which his Quintet is based. I also took the liberty of allowing that movement to spin out musical images of a “moody” trout. In all three movements the weight and character of the contrabass is an important element in the overall design. I’m especially interested in the possibilities offered by the contemporary contrabass player’s virtuosity and artistry which allows the composer to reach for that chamber music ideal of equal partners.
“Because of my great admiration and affection for these artists, my work is dedicated to Yossi, Jaime, Sharon, Michael and Hal.”