Picture: Daniel Miguel

In recent years, I have worked on, premiered and discovered some pieces for baritone saxophones that I have found interesting for students of Intermediate, Bachelor and Masters degrees as well as baritone saxophone players who want to go further with their repertoire.

I haven’t repeated any composer in order to show a wider number of people who are writing for our instrument. For now, this is my new selection for different levels of baritonists, based in this classification:

• Academy: high school level baritonists
• Advanced: bachelor level baritonists
• Artist: master level/professional baritonists

Let’s go!

1) Baritone Saxophone Solo

A STUDY IN DISTORTION (2018), Hakki Cengiz Eren
Level: ACADEMY
Contact the composer (ceneren06041984@gmail.com). Around 3:00 long.
Range (written): Eb3 – F4
This work contains lots of coloring effects produced by microtones, different sorts of articulations (from – to open slaps), partial overtones and specially the use of voice while playing.
Listen to the audio
>>>Click here, to find out more.

IMPERATIVE! (2015), Elena Leonova
Level: ACADEMY
Contact the composer (elena_leonova@yahoo.com). Around 5:30 long.
Range (written): A2 – B5
This work combines very expressive phrases and episodes with rhythmic elements produced by all kind of articulations and knockings (on the bell, for instance).
Listen to the audio

MÉLANCOLIE I (2018), Demián Rudel Rey
Level: ARTIST
Contact the composer (demirudel@gmail.com). Around 4:00 long.
Range (written): A2 – the highest possible
This work demands a great energy in terms of interpretation and a great control of the instrument in order to reproduce great contrasts in dynamics, tone coloring (“normal” sounds against flatter, growls, overtones, multiphonics…), etc.
Listen to the audio
>>>Click here, to find out more.

MINIATURE (2018), Florent Caron Darras
Level: ADVANCED
Contact the composer (florent.carondarras@gmail.com). Around 2:15 long.
Range (written): A2 – F(1/4)5
This work explores resonances, articulations and different tone colorings with the use of bisbigliandi, partial multiphonics, dynamics, etc.
Listen to the audio
>>>Click here, to find out more.

QUASI UNO SPECCHIO (2020), Isabel Benito Gutiérrez
Level: ACADEMY
Contact the composer (isubenito@gmail.com). Around 3:00 long.
Range (written): A2 – the highest possible
This is a graphic score for baritone. Colors are linked to playing techniques, and the axes refer to dynamics, time and pitch.
Watch the video
>>>Click here, to find out more.

SPLEEN III (1994/2000), Olga Neuwirth
Level: ARTIST
Ricordi Editions. Around 8:00 long.
Range (written): A2 – F#6 or the highest possible
It is a really demanding work with lots of expressive contrasts and the use of extended techniques.
Listen to the audio

TRAÇ I (2018), Daniel Muñoz-Osorio
Level: ARTIST
Contact the composer (daniel.munozosorio@yahoo.com). Around 3:00 long.
Range (written): A2 – G5
Interpretation of this work requires a very solid pulse and very precise articulations. There are lots of color tones by using techniques as air, growl, etc.
Listen to the audio
>>>Click here, to find out more.

2) Baritone Saxophone and Electronics

3 DE 10 (2015), Francesc Gregori Pons
TAPE
Level: ACADEMY
Contact the composer (fgrepons@hotmail.com). 6:45 long.
Range (written): A2 – A6
This work is inspired in human castles. Some music elements from this celebration are modified and appear both in instrumental and electronics parts.

AGRION HASTÉ (2019), Manon Lepauvre
LIVE ELECTRONICS
Level: ARTIST
Contact the composer (manon.lepauvre@gmail.com). Around 8:00 long.
Range (written): A#2 – G6
This work combines different extended techniques as sound keys, air, slaps, altissimo register and multiphonics. In addition, it is very demanding in terms of rhythm, pulse and fast excerpts.

CONSTRUCTION IIc (2013), Víctor Vallés Fornet
TAPE
Level: ACADEMY
Contact the composer (victorvallesfornet@gmail.com). Around 6:15 long.
Range (written): A2 – B5 (or the highest possible)
This work is a very good approach to the contemporary music repertoire with electronics. There are several very fast excerpts and some extended techniques.
Watch the video

LAKOLK – VED HAVET! 2. SCENE: PÅ STRANDEN (2010), Hans Peter Stubble Teglbjaerg
TAPE
Level: ACADEMY
Contact the composer (stubbe@hpst.dk). Around 6:30 long.
Range (written): A#2 – A5
This work is quite demanding in terms of rhythm and pulse. It is also an ideal work to introduce in the field of electronic music.
Watch the video

MICROLITHE (2019), Vincent Portes
LIVE ELECTRONICS
Level: ARTIST
Contact the composer (vincent.portes0695@gmail.com). Around 8:00 long.
Range (written): A2 – B6 or the highest possible
This work is really challenging in terms of control of the altissimo and extreme registers in addition to very fast excerpts. The work on granular tones is also very interesting as well as the fusion with the electronics part.
Listen to the audio

3) Baritone Saxophone and Piano

LAS NOCHES DE VERANO (2012), Guillermo Lago
Level: ACADEMY
Have a look at the composer’s website. Around 4:30 long.
Range (written): A2 – G#5
This meditative and expressive work is very suitable to work the intonation, specially of the treble register, as well as the phrasing.
Watch the video

4) Chamber Music with Baritone Saxophone

BECAUSE (2016), Everette Minchew
For BASS CLARINET, BARITONE SAXOPHONE AND BASSOON or THREE BARITONE SAXOPHONES
Level: ACADEMY
Contact the composer (eminchew@gmail.com). Minimum 4:00 long.
Range (written): D3 – A4 (baritone saxophone) / D3 – C#5 (3 baritones version)
This work is a well example of “slow music” and each performer follow his/her own pace by creating different sonorities and chords.
Listen to the audio
>>>Click here, to find out more about this work.

DIVERTIMENTO (2015), Rafael Peralta Torrecilla
For FOUR BARITONE SAXOPHONES
Level: ADVANCED
Contact the composer (peraltatorrecilla@hotmail.com). Around 4:45 long.
Range (written): A2 (4th baritone) – G6 (1st baritone)
This is a nice piece to work the pulse and rhythm as well as the intonation of the baritone saxophones. 1st baritone saxophone, pay attention to your altissimo register!

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Joan Martí-Frasquier
Barcelona, June-July 2022.

FIND OUT MORE REPERTOIRE:

• 15 Academy Profession Level Works for Baritone Saxophone (click here)
• 15 Bachelor Level Works for Baritone Saxophone (click here)
• 15 Masters Level Works for Baritone Saxophone (click here)