I. Overture, II. Dance, III. The Slow One, IV. To Pull Out All the Stops
Program Note
Lively, mischievous, and with an unmistakable groove, Snapshots covers the far reaches of the saxophone quartet’s ability: whether crashing down in racing dissonances or graceful, lyrical sections, the quartet weaves together its contrasting natures in a wild but captivating manner.
The suite opens with an urgent-feeling overture, suggestive of a chase or a race, with a certain playful-yet-almost-sinister gravity in its spirited character. This leads into a sly sort of dance, with the feeling of slinking between major and minor, until the tensions built up in this movement are released in an elegant, almost heart-wrenching ballad. Then, in a sudden turn of events, the suite concludes with an energetic finale in 7/8, with the urgency of the first movement returning in an almost celebratory fashion.
The mischievous nature and constant groove of the piece remain key aspects all the way through, however, providing listeners with an experience that is riveting and fast-paced, yet emotionally touching at the same time.
Program note by Emily Ta.
