Sax Concerto : Complete audio! Honestly!

In a surprise, I received permission today from the Dallas Wind Symphony to post the recording of their premiere performance of my Concerto for Soprano Sax and Wind Ensemble.

So, it’s all finally up, for all to hear — all 25 minutes of it. Here is the link!

The slow movement — “Metal” — was a topic here a few weeks ago. Now you can hear what I was talking about.

As a bonus, I also posted the complete solo part as a printable PDF. There’s a light watermark on it, but the music is completely legible.

In non-music news… I got a new lens today — the Canon 24mm f/1.4 L — and I’ll give it a try tonight. It seems like it will be a great low-light prime lens. We’ll see. Pictures, I’m sure, will follow…

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On the road again and again and again

The crazy travel schedule is about to start again. Here’s what’s coming up…

December 18-22 : Midwest Clinic in Chicago (performances of the Sax Concerto and Kingfishers Catch Fire)
January 10-12 : Central Oklahoma honor band (premiere of “Clocking”)
February 6-10 : University of Texas at Austin (performance of the Sax Concerto)
February 13-16 : Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) convention (performances of Kingfishers Catch Fire with the All-State Symphonic Band, Turning with the 4A All-State Band, and Strange Humors with Poteet High School — the Texas Honor Band.)
February 25-27 : University of Georgia (performance of the Sax Concerto)
March 2 : University of Georgia (recording of the Sax Concerto)
March 4 – 7 : Baylor University (performance of the Sax Concerto)
March 13 – 15 : Regional CBDNA convention in Omaha (performances of Turbine and Turning)
March 20 – 22 : Regional CBDNA convention in Reno (performances of Sax Concerto and Redline Tango)

And for no reason at all, here’s a picture of me taking a picture of myself reflected in one of our Christmas ornaments — with AEJ peeking over my shoulder. (That enormous lens is the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS.)

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Hans says

...you should write a concerto for tuba...

Julia Kogan says

Hi John, this really made me laugh, thanks for posting it. I wrote you, possibly twice, about the Nabokov song we talked about earlier. Is mail getting to you? I thought I would try this as a last ditch effort.

All the best,
Julia

Cathy says

I'll see you at Midwest & TMEA!!! Maybe when you come to UT before TMEA, we can get together and have a drink or something. We go see this great 80s band on Wednesday nights.... LOL
~C

Sarah says

I might just have to drive up to Austin in February to hear that sax concerto. Is Harvey Pittel playing it?

Scott says

What time/where are the two pieces being play? We're going to be there Thursday and Friday and we're suppossed to see at least 1 concert. Sure like to see Kingfisher...

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Return of the Best Nutcracker Ever.

Yes, it’s that time of year once again. For the third year in a row, I present to you:

The most fantastically awful performance ever of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Courtesy of John Corigliano, who emailed this to me back in 2004. (He’s one of those people who forwards things like crazy.) Where he found it, I’ve no idea, but I will be forever grateful to him for the Christmas “cheer” which I now share with you.

Enjoy — as best you can.

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Steve says

way. I'm going to be laughing about for hours. Thanks for helping me get through my day!

Gus Greely says

No one could write something that brilliantly funny or perform it so perfectly on purpose. This is a gem; there could be no cozier a performance of that piece.

Luke N. says

Played this for my colleagues at work - a choral music store where we hear FAR too much awful christmas music - and they said it sounded like a combination of psycho and the nutcracker, with a bit of stravinsky mixed it. I highly agree. My favourite part has got to be the awful bassoon... so glorious...

Scott says

Great bassoonist, for sure.

Do you have an mp3 copy of that? I want to put it on my iPod.

Jamie says

XD This is too good. I love how the bells are the only thing in tune and the only part you really can't screw up and yet they managed it...

BTW You wouldn't happen to know the age of this ensemble...Because I'll feel bad if I'm laughing at jr high kids :(

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