Cygncopations – or Alto or Tenor Saxophone and Piano

The title, Cyncopations, indulges my pleasure in wordplay whereby the misspelling of cyncopations puts one in mind of the French ‘le cygne’ (the swan) which Sibelius famously represents with the cor anglais. The piece is scored for strings with two horns, harp and a very important part for the vibraphone. In the first of its two sections (Rêverie) I had a strong image of a calm lake with maybe a swan floating gently on the water with occasional, random movements from the currents below. In the second section (Danse), the bird heads for dry land and begins an eccentric waterside jig for its friends.The orchestration is for strings with two horns, harp and percussion.

The solo part may also be played by an alto or tenor saxophone. In this regard, I am indebted to my friend and colleague Kyle Horch for his invaluable advice in the preparation of the solo parts.

Roderick Elms