:

Some time ago, I found the picture above on the twitter account of the Hartford Women Composers Fest (Connecticut, USA) and it made me think, first, about still existing gender differences in the music world as well as in our society (a fact that I find unacceptable in current times) and that programming music by women composers be normal and not a fad.

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Despite the fact that a past in which the role of women in music (especially in the field of composition) has been so marginal cannot be changed, we have the responsibility to eradicate any type of discrimination (including gender) and lay these foundations for new generations of artists.

Next, the fact that saxophone has an original repertoire not yet too old allows that works by composers as Paule Maurice, Jeanine Rueff, Ida Gotkovsky or Betsy Jolas, among much others, could be performed often. Furthermore, you will find a copious amount of works for baritone saxophone composed by women in the General Repertoire from the blog of my website.

Here are the works by women composers I have played once at least and recorded throughout my career. There are not many pieces, but I am glad to expand this list little by little:

BENITO, Isabel.

1. Quasi uno Specchio, for baritone saxophone solo (2020)
   • Listen to it!
     >>>Click here, to find out more about this work.

CAPDEVILA, Mercè.

1. A Chillida, for baritone saxophone modulated live and tape (1997)
   • Listen to it!
     >>>Click here, to find out more about this work.

CLAUSSEN, Martina.

1. Trigger II_b, for baritone saxophone and live electronics (2023)
   • Listen to it!

GERASIMENOK, Tatiana.

1. 4bkl, for actress, baritone saxophone and live electronics (2020)
   • Watch the video!

GOTKOVSKY, Ida.

1. Brillance, for alto saxophone and piano (1974)
2. Quatuor de saxophones, for saxophone quartet (SATB) (1983)

GUBAIDULINA, Sofia.

1. Duo-Sonata, original for two bassoons (1977)

LEONOVA, Elena.

1. Imperative!, for baritone saxophone solo (2015)
   • Listen to it!

LEPAUVRE, Manon.

1. Agrion Hasté, for baritone saxophone and live electronics (2019)

McTEE, Cindy.

1. Three Studies, for alto saxophone and tape (1992)

NEUWIRTH, Olga.

1. Spleen III, for baritone saxophone solo (2001)
   • Listen to it!

PETROVIC, Albena.

1. Dreamlover, for baritone saxophone solo (2017)
   • Listen to it!
   • >>>Click here, to find out more about this work  
2. Concerto, for baritone saxophone, piano and string orchestra (2018)
   • Watch the video!
   • >>>Click here, to find out more about this work  
3. Concerto (2021, duo version for baritone saxophone and piano)
   • Listen to it!
4. Love and Jealousy, chamber opera that includes an alto saxophone (2018)
5. Two pieces, for alto saxophone solo (2021, extracted from the opera Love and Jealousy)
   • Listen to them!
6. Poèmes-Masques, for soprano voice and baritone saxophone (2021)
   • Listen to them!
7. Big Blue Duet, for baritone saxophone and piano (2022)
8. Whispers, for mezzo-soprano voice, Bb clarinet, baritone saxophone and electronics (2023)

RIBAS, Maria Rosa.

1. Sonata, for alto saxophone and piano (1980)

RUEFF, Jeanine.

1. Chanson et Passepied, for alto saxophone and piano (1951)
   • Listen to it!
2. Trois pour Deux, for baritone saxophone and piano (1982)
   • >>>Click here, to find out more about this work

TANAKA, Karen.

1. Night Bird, for alto saxophone and tape (1996)

TORRAS, Montserrat.

1. Textures, for alto saxophone and violin (2004)

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Have you found this post interesting? Would you like to know more about these pieces and to work on any of them? I encourage you to discover and perform more repertoire by women composers! Don’t hesitate to contact me for more questions.

Joan Martí-Frasquier
Barcelona, 2021.03.08
Updated: 2025.06.28