Saxophone Concerto

Born in Marseille, French composer HENRI TOMASI wrote his CONCERTO FOR ALTO SAXOPHONE AND ORCHESTRA in 1949. The work premiered in March 1950 with the ORTF (Radio France) National Orchestra under the composer’s baton, featuring the legendary French saxophonist Marcel Mule (1901–2001) as soloist. Mule, who had founded the first saxophone class at the Paris Conservatory in 1942, was the dedicatee of the concerto. In early 1958, Mule performed the first of Tomasi’s two major works for the instrument—Ballade for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (1938)—in a series of concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A gifted pianist and a musician of remarkable versatility, Tomasi began performing at a young age. He studied at the Conservatory in Marseille and later at the Paris Conservatory, winning the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1927. Alongside his compositional work, he enjoyed a distinguished career as a conductor. His music reflects a mastery of diverse styles and is often infused with elements drawn from popular traditions and jazz. Tomasi’s Saxophone Concerto is cast in two movements. The opening Andante introduces a mysterious, atmospheric sound world, leading into a brilliant and expressive Allegro whose lyrical cantilena showcases the saxophone’s vocal qualities. A wide‑ranging, virtuosic cadenza for solo saxophone forms the centerpiece of the movement, which concludes with a return to the mood of the introduction.The shorter second movement, marked “Giration, Tournoiement” (“whirling, circular motion”), is driven by syncopations and shifting meters that create a sense of constant motion and unpredictability. The concerto concludes with a majestic Largo, bringing the work to a noble and resonant close.