Saxophone Solos
Saxophone is my primary instrument, and a problem I’ve run across is that it is very difficult to find an accompanist sometimes. The accompaniment parts for our repertoire are extremely difficult and in many cases the accompanist has a much harder part than we do. So I’ve devoted some resources to developing some saxophone solos that don’t need accompaniment so that pianists can have a little bit of a break (and if you make them play the Schmitt they’ve earned several breaks). However, if you don’t think your accompanist needs a break, feel free to check out the piano reduction to Transition and buy your accompanist a gift they will appreciate for years to come!
Saxophone – Vagrant Contemplation
- This saxophone solo very much sticks to traditional capabilities. I would highly recommend this to students who are learning to play out of time.
Saxophone – What Wondrous Love Is This?
- My arrangement of “What Wondrous Love Is This?” for solo saxophone opens with an unembellished statement of the melody and quickly develops from there.
Saxophone – What Child is This? (Greensleeves)
- This arrangement for solo saxophone is titled “What Child is This?” instead of “Greensleeves” because I had the text of the hymn in mind when writing.
Saxophone – All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
- A fairly simple arrangement of “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” It is intended as a saxophone solo, but this should not deter other instrumentalists.
- This alto saxophone solo is a musical depiction of Psalm 51; a biblical text describing David’s sorrow over his sin. Using a concert A drone (from any source you want) to create harmonic tension and release throughout the solo, the music follows the same emotional path that the psalm does.