Saxon (brass band)

My first work for brass band, Saxon was commissioned by the New Zealand Brass Bands Association as the A-Grade test piece for the Shell Millennium International Bands Festival.

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Full Instrumentation

Cornet, Repiano Cornet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, Eb Horn, Baritone, Trombone, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, Basses, Percussion, Mixed Percussion

Eb Soprano Cornet (1)
Solo Bb Cornets (4)
Bb Repiano Cornet
2nd Bb Cornets (2)
3rd Bb Cornets (2)

Bb Flugel Horn (1)
1st Eb Horn
2nd Eb Horn
3rd Eb Horn

1st Bb Baritone
2nd Bb Baritone
1st Tenor Trombone
2nd Tenor Trombone
Bass Trombone

Bb Euphoniums (2)
Eb Basses (2)
Bb Basses (2)

1st Percussion
2nd Percussion
3rd Percussion

Percussion:

3 Timpani (low 1: D-A, 2: A-C, high 3: C-D), Bass Drum (large), TamTam (large) Snare Drum (pref. piccolo), Xylophone, Vibraphone, 3 Toms (high, middle, low), 2 Crash Cymbals, 3 Woodblocks, 2 Triangles, Glockenspiel

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It is recommended that three percussion stations be arranged as follows:

• ‍Station 1: Snare Drum, Crash Cymbal, 3 Toms, Triangle, Woodblock, Bass Drum nearby‍
• ‍Station 2: Timpani, Crash Cymbal Triangle, Woodblock‍
• Station 3: Vibraphone, Xylophone, Woodblock

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Review

PETER BALE, 4BARSREST.COM, APRIL 2004

The music shows some influence of minimalism, but seems more intricate, and certainly tests the band, with repeated listening bringing out different elements and strata that may go un-noticed at first.

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