For the 17th time, Erkki-Sven Tüür has written an instrumental concerto, but his latest marks the first time that the soloist is a saxophone. As part of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, his Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra receives its world premiere in Kiel on July 17, when it will be performed by Asya Fateyeva and the German Symphony Orchestra Berlin under the baton of Kazuki Yamada.
Composed on the suggestion of Fateyeva, Tüür created a work that begins with a brief introduction in which the ascending runs of the alto saxophone immediately set the entire orchestra in motion. The composer describes the beginning of the concerto as follows: “It hangs in the air, like an unfinished sentence, like a huge question mark.” After an unique journey through the following three movements, the question finally finds a conclusive resolution in the last measures.
Following the world premiere in Kiel, co-commissioner Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra is bringing the concerto with Asya Fateyeva and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen to Stockholm on August 29 for its Swedish premiere.
For more information see Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival and Berwaldhallen Stockholm.
