Catalog

FELT, METAL, WOOD, featuring John Mackey’s Concerto for Soprano Saxophone, is a thorough exploration into the many expressive and technical facets of the Saxophone. Mackey, who has garnered widespread critical acclaim as one of today’s leading composers, notes that the saxophone is a hybrid instrument; it is essentially a brass instrument with a woodwind reed. With that in mind, Mackey composed this concerto by focusing several movements on unique characteristics of the instrument.  After the prelude comes “Felt,” a movement focused on the keys of the instrument and all the ways a player can use them as an interface. “Metal,” the third movement, demonstrates the saxophone’s soaring range in a lyrical, introspective manner, while “Wood,” a tango highlighting the saxophone’s strengths in an intimate setting, transitions to an exhilarating display of virtuosity in the “Finale.” Performed by saxophonist Stephen Page and pianist Liz Ames, Mackey stirs a greater appreciation for the versatile instrument in this release.