Stolen music
Saxophonists like to borrow things. Especially music from other instruments. Case in point: two of the works on my recent Miller Theater recital were co-opted from woodwind colleagues—Michael Gordon’s The Low Quartet although originally for double bass, trombone, bari sax, and bass clarinet, had versions for four bassoons and four bass clarinets before I made the bari sax version; and Philip Glass’ Piece in the Shape of a Square is acutally for two flutes, not two alto saxophones.
These are just two recent examples, but saxophonists engage in this transcription process fiercely—sometimes, well hopefully most of the time, winning the composer’s approval. This is why the saxophone has in its repertoire two Berio Sequenzas (VIIb and IXb), Scelsi’s Tre Pezzi, David Lang’s Press Release, and the short and sweet A Tune from Childhood by Bright Sheng, just to name a few.
I often wonder why—yes, why, composers?—must we steal your wonderful music from other instruments?
