related works
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Piano
Scoring:
pf
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Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Saxophone
Scoring:
sax-ten
Music for saxophones : for saxophone quartet, 1989 / Calliope Tsoupaki
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Saxophone
Scoring:
4sax
Fracture IV : for baritone saxophone / Ruud Roelofsen
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Saxophone
Scoring:
sax-bar
composition
Intersections V : for saxophone quartet, 1974 rev. 1979 / Joep Straesser
Other authors:
Straesser, Joep
(Composer)
Description:
Program note (English): Tempo is the predominant factor on arranging the material on which the series Intersections V, V-I and V-2 is based. There are five tempos in these pieces, ranging from extremely slow to extremely fast (main tempos), each of which is divided into a number of sub-tempos. The main tempos are consequently more or less "elastic" and can be seen as tempo zones. The sub-tempos create a finer rhythmical distribution within a tempo zone. These five main tempos, together with their sub-tempos, can be put to different rhythmical effects and given different vertical densities, i.e. the number of voices uses simultaneously. In V and V-1 the density ranges from two to four voices, and in V-2 from one to seven. Rhythmically, the following situations occur: homophony (all voices at the same tempo), poly-homophony (combination of pairs of homophonous voices at differing main and/or sub-tempos), polyphony + homophony (one homophonous pair of voices combined with polyphonic voices), and complete
polyphony.
The nature of the scorings demands that these underlying principles should be interpreted differently in some respects. As already stated, four parts are naturally the maximum in V and V-1, and seven parts the maximum in V-2 (the piano has great vertical possibilities). In V and V-1 the accent therefore necessarily falls on a markedly horizontal method of composing in which combinations of main tempos occur in addition to combinations of sub-tempos. In V-2 there are no combinations of differing main tempos; the combinations of various sub-tempos within one tempo zone are more subtly elaborated. The fairly rigorous organization of the tempos and their sub-divisions made it possible for the composer to organize the components of pitch and degrees of intensity in a looser way; in addition it can be remarked that in the progressive verticality of V-2 there are accumulations of intervals which display a tendency to diminish, proceeding from bottom to top. The general shape of the pieces
varies: V and V-1 comprise three parts, each of which lasts about four minutes; V-2 comprises five relatively short pieces. In all three works, however, specific tempo characteristics predominate in each part. - JOEP STRAESSER