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Cartoon: Fantasy for soprano saxophone and piano

by Anthony Ritchie, Opus 70d

In 3 contrasting movements, this piece contains a mixture of lively, bright ideas and more soulful ones.

Programme Note

This sonata started life as a concerto for soprano saxophone, and was commissioned by New Zealander Mark Hobson with financial assistance from the Arts Council of New Zealand.It is in one continuous movement, divided into three main sections.

The first section has a cartoon-like character: it is cheeky, changeable and light in spirit, but has darker elements as well. The fast tempo eventually fades into a slow, lyrical section that features a soulful melody on saxophone over slowly shifting harmonies. Here the mood is sorrowful and reflective. The third section opens with bold chords on the piano, before a wistful theme appears on saxophone, in waltz time. The tempo accelerates and the music becomes agitated and driven. The waltz theme is integrated into this faster tempo leading to a cadenza-like passage towards the end, over a percussive piano rhythm. The sonata ends with a fragment of the waltz theme, underpinned by strong piano chords.

Ritchie also transcribed the work for oboe and piano in 2002.

Buy the right to download a single pdf document, online, containing the score and parts, and permission to duplicate or print it as required for one saxophonist: NZ$25.00

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