Sikorski
Lera Auerbach has written various works for saxophone quartet, for saxophone and orchestra, and for solo saxophone. However, her Sonata for Saxophone and Piano was composed only two years ago and premiered in April 2024 at Carnegie Hall in New York by saxophonist Andreas Mader and pianist Joseph Moog. These same performers will now give the Austrian premiere of the four-movement work on April 29, 2026, in the Metal Hall of the Vienna Musikverein. The work was commissioned by the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation for Andreas Mader as part of his prize for winning the 2022 International Saxophone Competition with Lera Auerbach.
The composer describes the sonata, rich in tone color, as a grand conversation between the alto saxophone and the piano. She describes its character as rather tragic and oppressive, and its density, intensity, and rich overtones present a significant challenge for performers. The twenty-minute work consists of the following movements: I. Moderato, libero molto, II. Andante lamentoso, III. Allegro, and IV. Andante libero. (Helmut Peters)
