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.

As usual, I have tried to don’t repeat any name in order to show a wider number of composers who are writing for our instrument but, on the other hand, I realized that there are some of them who have composed much more than one work for the baritone saxophone who would deserve to appear more times in these lists. I will do it next time.

For now, this is my new selection for different levels of baritonists, based in this classification:

• Moderate: advanced middle school and intermediate high school baritonists
• Intermediate: intermediate/advanced high school and college baritonists
• Advanced: advanced high school and intermediate/advanced college baritonists
• Artist: some advanced high school, advanced college and professional baritonists

Let’s go!

1) Baritone Saxophone Solo

A STUDY IN DISTORTION (2018), Hakki Cengiz Eren
Level: Moderate
Contact the composer (ceneren06041984@gmail.com). Around 3:00 long.
Range (written): Eb3 – F4
Short comment: 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 it:

IMPERATIVE! (2015), Elena Leonova
Level: Intermediate
Contact the composer (elena_leonova@yahoo.com). Around 5:30 long.
Range (written): A2 – B5
Short comment: 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 it:

MÉLANCOLIE I (2018), Demián Rudel Rey
Level: Artist
Contact the composer (demirudel@gmail.com). Around 4:00 long.
Range (written): A2 – the highest possible
Short comment: 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 it:

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
Short comment: This work explores resonances, articulations and different tone colorings with the use of bisbigliandi, partial multiphonics, dynamics, etc.

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

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

TRAÇ I (2018), Daniel Muñoz-Osorio
Level: Artist
Contact the composer (daniel.munozosorio@yahoo.com). Around 3:00 long.
Range (written): A2 – G5
Short comment: 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 it:

2) Baritone Saxophone and Electronics

3 DE 10 (2015), Francesc Gregori Pons
TAPE
Level: Intermediate
Contact the composer (fgrepons@hotmail.com). 6:45 long.
Range (written): A2 – A6
Short comment: 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
Short comment: 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: Intermediate
Contact the composer (victorvallesfornet@gmail.com). Around 6:15 long.
Range (written): A2 – B5 (or the highest possible)
Short comment: 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 it:

LAKOLK – VED HAVET! 2. SCENE: PÅ STRANDEN (2010), Hans Peter Stubble Teglbjaerg
TAPE
Level: Intermediate
Contact the composer (stubbe@hpst.dk). Around 6:30 long.
Range (written): A#2 – A5
Short comment: 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 it:

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
Short comment: 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 it:

3) Baritone Saxophone and Piano

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

4) Chamber Music with Baritone Saxophone

BECAUSE (2016), Everette Minchew
For BASS CLARINET, BARITONE SAXOPHONE AND BASSOON or THREE BARITONE SAXOPHONES
Level: Moderate
Contact the composer (eminchew@gmail.com). Minimum 4:00 long.
Range (written): D3 – A4 (baritone saxophone) / D3 – C#5 (3 baritones version)
Short comment: 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 it:

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)
Short comment: 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!

I hope you have found this post useful!

Greetings,

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)