Love: Solace

• Composer: Joel Love (1982-)
• Instrumentation (this edition): Piano Reduction, Alto Saxophone
• Originally for: Alto Saxophone, Concert Band
• Work: Solace (2018)
• Binding:
• Pages: None

Description

Just before I began composing Solace, I had a great set of conversations with the leader of its consortium-commission, Connie Frigo. During our discussions, we talked about how well the saxophone can imitate vocal music and both expressed interest in a new concerto with a significant lyrical element. Early on, she suggested I read David Whyte's Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment, and Underlying Meaning in Words. Whyte's work meditates on words themselves, illustrating their deeper meaning, often revealing connections between difficult situations and their unexpectedly positive outcomes. Similarly, each movement meditates on a mood and is inspired by either a selection of text or title word from five consolations, picked by either Connie or me. Throughout the concerto, I challenge the soloist to play lyrically in extreme registers (called the "altissimo" register, which is above the typical, written range of the instrument) and while playing virtuosic passages in five unique sound worlds.