Category Archives: Saxophone

Three Places for a New Millennium

RM279e Three Places for a New Millennium Greenbaum ALTO SAX/PNO
RM279e Three Places for a New Millennium Greenbaum ALTO SAX/PNO
Digital Download eScore
Composer: Stuart Greenbaum
Composed: 2006 Duration: 5 mins.
Instrumentation: Sax Alto & Piano Level B, Sax Alto & Piano Level C
Exam Grade: AMEB Saxophone Alto Grade 4,
AMEB Saxophone Alto Grade 5,
HSC Saxophone Alto
ISMN: M-720067-35-3 Catalogue: RM279
Level: B, C Country: Australia

Performed by Rompduo

Contents: I. In Orbit , II. Departure Lounge , III. In Traffic

Program Note

I. In Orbit
This was written wondering what it would be like to see the Earth from space. It also serves as a hymn to the technology of satellites that increasingly connect our humble human communications.

II. Departure Lounge
Most commonly, this is at an airport. When travelling alone, this can be a place to contemplate the state of one’s existence while trying to find the right angle to perch one’s hand luggage as a foot stool. But this can also be at a train station – and Sydney Central boasts a (very) modest lounge for travellers waiting for the night train to Melbourne.

III. In Traffic
Statistics bear out that lane swapping in heavy traffic to maximise time and position is mostly a waste of time and dangerous into the bargain. What’s worse is nipping into the fast lane on a slight opening, only for it to become the slow lane. My advice? Take the bike or public transport.

These pieces have been published with key signatures for ease of reading, though were not conceived as conventionally ‘tonal’ pieces.

Helter Skelter

RM270e Helter Skelter Davidson TENOR SAX/PNO
RM270e Helter Skelter Davidson TENOR SAX/PNO
Digital Download eScore
Composer: Lachlan Davidson
Composed: 2001 Duration: 4 mins.
Instrumentation: Sax Tenor & Piano Level C
Exam Grade: AMEB Saxophone Tenor Grade 6,
HSC Saxophone Tenor
ISMN: M-720067-24-7 Catalogue: RM270
Level: C Country: Australia

Also available for Tenor sax solo with Big-band I wanted to write a difficult, complex tune (as I always seemed to end up writing simple melodies) and this is what resulted. Meredith was my first student to try it and she articulated it to suit how she played. I have adopted many of her articulations in this version. In certain circumstances, I highly recommend improvising in the optional section. The biggest challenge, other than the technical difficulty, is to swap between the fusion feel with the appropriate intense sound and the jazz feel with a lighter sound, and then lead gradually back towards the fusion feel and sound towards the end. The accompanist should be sure not to slow down in the swing section. Even push ahead a little.

Mosaic (7 pieces)

RM267e Mosaic (7 pieces) Spiewak ALTO SAX/PNO
RM267e Mosaic (7 pieces) Spiewak ALTO SAX/PNO
Digital Download eScore
Composer: Tomasz Spiewak
Composed: 1997 Duration: 11 mins.
Instrumentation: Sax Alto & Piano Level B
Exam Grade: HSC Saxophone Alto
ISMN: M-720067-19-3 Catalogue: RM267
Level: B Country: Australia

Contents: Penguins' Meeting , An Olde Serenade, By the Shores of Lake Cadibarrawirracanna, Emus on Parade, Promenade of the Wombats, Capriccio , Folk Dance

Steppin’ Up (8 pieces)

RM265e Steppin Up Barrett
RM265e Steppin Up Barrett
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Composer: John Barrett
Composed: 2006 Duration: 12 mins.
Instrumentation: Sax Tenor & Piano Level A, Sax Tenor & Piano Level B
Exam Grade: AMEB Saxophone Tenor Grade 2,
AMEB Saxophone Tenor Grade 3,
AMEB Saxophone Tenor Grade 4,
AMEB Saxophone Tenor Grade 5,
HSC Saxophone Tenor
ISMN: M-720067-17-9 Catalogue: RM265
Level: A - Easy, B Country: Australia

Contents: Herbie's Journey, Heaven's Steps, Dracula's New Shorts, Cha Cha Boom, I Wonder Why, Eat My Shorts Dance, My Neighbour's Pool, Half a Dozen

Mediterranean Blue

RM261 Mediterranean Blue Davidson TENOR SAX/PNO
RM261 Mediterranean Blue Davidson TENOR SAX/PNO
Printed Book
RM261e Mediterranean Blue Davidson TENOR SAX/PNO
RM261e Mediterranean Blue Davidson TENOR SAX/PNO
Digital Download eScore
Composer: Lachlan Davidson
Composed: 1995 Duration: 3 mins.
Instrumentation: Sax Tenor & Piano Level C
Exam Grade: AMEB Saxophone Tenor Grade 5,
HSC Saxophone Tenor,
VCE Saxophone Tenor
ISMN: M-720067-11-7 Catalogue: RM261
Level: C Country: Australia

I originally wrote this for Lisa to play as a solo flute piece, then gave it to some Tenor Sax students before adding the piano part, which I now really like the sound of and it does add considerably to the piece. It is named Mediterranean Blue because it seems to have Southern European influences but a touch of the Blues too. Therefore you can approach playing it, leaning in either direction, either a little jazzy or quite Classical, (vaguely Spanish). The rhythmic feel is challenging to pin down, being almost felt in one beat to the bar, but only once you reach a certain tempo. Finding places to breathe can also be a little challenging. Sorry. You may find yourself humming this one in your sleep as I have.

The Listener

RM260 The Listener Davidson ALTO SAX/PNO
RM260 The Listener Davidson ALTO SAX/PNO
Printed Book
RM260e The Listener Davidson ALTO SAX/PNO
RM260e The Listener Davidson ALTO SAX/PNO
Digital Download eScore
Composer: Lachlan Davidson
Composed: 2003 Duration: 4 mins.
Instrumentation: Sax Alto & Piano Level C
Exam Grade: AMEB Saxophone Alto Grade 6,
HSC Saxophone Alto
ISMN: M-720067-10-0 Catalogue: RM260
Level: C Country: Australia

Performed by Rompduo

As I was warming up my sax while Kath was getting hers out for a lesson, I played a few random notes which caught my ear. They were the first six notes of this piece. Later that day, after some exploration, I recorded a semi-improvised piano part and then semi-improvised the sax part. What you see on the page is a cleaned up version of what I did that day. This is the only time I've ever composed this way. Kath is a great Listener and reminded me of it's importance. You should allow your performance to build gradually through the first page and then really soar through the second page before settling down fairly quickly at the end. See if you can make it sound like you improvised it. Get together with the pianist early or play with the midi version of it from the website. It will help you understand the pace and intensity. If you add any jazz inflections, make sure they sound good and that you stay in tune. The beginning is very difficult in that regard so don't try to play any softer than you are able but do work on dropping your dynamic as far as possible and bringing it up as high as you can at the climax.

Leaps and Bounds (6 pieces)

RM257e Leaps and Bounds (6 pieces) Barrett SAX
RM257e Leaps and Bounds (6 pieces) Barrett SAX
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Contents: Shuffle Over Here, We Don't Tango Here, The Minor Issue, The Boogie Woogie Woogie, Funkability, Be Bopaphobia