From Saxophone Concerto: 2nd and 4th movement
- 2. Satz: Songs (Andante Cantabile)
- 4. Satz: Toccata (Presto)
I Prelude
II Songs
III Cadenza
IV Toccata
The Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra is a monumental masterpiece composed by the esteemed National Artist of Thailand, Narongrit Dhamabutra. This composition marked its world premiere in celebration of the auspicious occasion of His Majesty King Mahavajiralongkorn’s Birthday Anniversary on July 28, 2022. The premiere featured the world-renowned saxophonist Theodore Kerkezos as the soloist. Following its successful debut in Bangkok, the concerto was subsequently performed internationally in Cyprus, Greece, and Russia.
The work consists of four continuous movements and has a duration of approximately 22 minutes. The first movement, “Prelude,” serves as an overture of the composition. Constructed in a sonata form, presenting three main themes of contrasting character: energetic, benevolent, and lyrical. The development section leads to a lively dynamic drive while the recapitulation brings back the third theme in a majestic manner. The saxophone leads the coda with a stunning virtuosic elaboration against the orchestra.
The second movement, “Songs,” in a slow, leisurely style, is constructed in a ternary form, highlighting two famous Thai traditional songs “Lao Kam-hom” and “Lao Duang-duean.” While the Thai themes flow naturally, soloist performs various roles, adding countermelody, as well as providing accompaniment.
The “Cadenza” movement features unaccompanied saxophone presenting the development of materials drawn from the first and the second movements. The saxophone projects advanced virtuosic skill with full expression of the instrument’s tone color using contemporary techniques such as slap tongue, multiphonics, and glissando.
The final movement, “Toccata,” is a counter response between the saxophone and the orchestra in the most intense and forceful drive. It begins with saxophone embracing a slap tongue technique, followed by an alteration of a six-note motive in various orchestral colors. The orchestra brings back the main themes in the middle section with a confrontation by the saxophone, who adeptly runs scale patterns with astonishing chord arpeggios. The movement ends with extremely ferocious playing by the saxophone, highlighting a rapid repetition of pitches, ending the piece with the playful six-note motive in energetic, virtuosic passages.