Leyendas (Legends)
solo alto saxophone & symphony orchestra (or string orchestra) 21′ video ☟
To write a concerto for his friend Arno Bornkamp was one of Guillermo Lago’s great wishes. ‘Leyendas’ (Legends) is his gift to his lifelong friend. In 2015 he wrote a smaller piece for alto saxophone and string quartet (or string orchestra) ‘Consecuencias’, also (co-)dedicated to Bornkamp, but ‘Leyendas’ is very obviously a solo concerto where Consecuencias is rather a chamber music work.
The title ‘Leyendas’ refers to the famous ‘Rimas y Leyendas’ by Gustavo Adolfo Becquér (1836 – 1870). In 2016 Lago wrote 5 Rimas for soprano saxophone and choir (a series to be expanded soon) and ‘Leyendas’ is inspired on the atmosphere and mood of these legends narrated by Becquér, although not connected to a specific ‘Leyenda’.
The piece was premiered on July 10 2018, at the Zagreb 18th Saxophone World Congress, by Arno Bornkamp and the Croatian Radio Television Orchestra conducted by Pierre-André Valade at the opening concert of the Congress.
Arno Bornkamp & the 18th World Saxophone Congress 2018 Zagreb
Arno Bornkamp (alto saxophone) & The Croatian Radio & Television Orchestra, Pierre-André Valade conductor. Lisinsky Hall, Zagreb, 10th of July 2018 at the 18th Zagreb World Saxophone Congress
- 2 flutes
- oboe
- english horn
- clarinet in Bb
- bass clarinet in Bb
- 2 bassoons
- alto saxophone (solo)
- 2 horns in F
- 2 trumpets in C
- tenor trombone
- bass trombone
- bass tuba
- timpani (4 including piccolo)
- percussion 1 (gran cassa, tamburo piccolo, claves, crotales, piatti (susp. cymb.))
- percussion 2 (marimba, vibraphone, gran cassa (from set-up percussion 1))
- harp
- violin I
- violin II
- viola
- violoncello
- double bass
- Andante-Allegro
- Adagio molto melancolico
- Presto energico
