Custer: Touch and Go for Saxophone Quartet [SATB]

Code: JP4056
ISMN: 979-0-3019-0034-5

As could be generally implied by the title, Touch & Go seeks to capture an aggressive mood of intrepid spunk and energy. On a deeper level, the composer attempts to explore a more literal interpretation of the title. From the onset of the work, the listener's attention will be drawn to various points of intersection, at which the four saxophones 'touch' together on certain pitches, chords, rhythmic patterns, and dynamic levels. These junctures, often signaled by sustained sounds, are contrasted by sections of the piece that specifically feature the divergence of the parts of the ensemble.

Even in moments of frantic scurrying, the overarching organization of the music is not forfeited. Rather, a sense of 'organized chaos' emerges, as the members of the ensemble compound to form a variety of musical gestures and patterns. After a lyrical, middle section, the piece culminates with a reinterpreted recap of the opening section, in which the quartet feverishly races toward the final point of convergence.

The total duration is approximately 5.25 minutes.

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