Where the Mountain Based on the Concerto for Alto Saxophone & Orchestra
Watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmVMeHZl8ig&list=RDHmVMeHZl8ig&start_radio=1
- Mountain Watching II. Mountain Weeping III. Mountain Dancing
This work draws inspiration from the Illawarra’s Mt. Keira and surrounding landscapes; where the mountain meets the sea. Mt. Keira looms above the city of Wollongong like a watchful guardian, the mountain’s dramatic façade was an ever-present backdrop to my childhood.
Mvt. I Mountain Watching commences with a reverberating call and response between the soloist and the piano: an exchange between the watched and the watchers. The work builds towards a highly virtuosic climax in the solo part. A broad palette of saxophone effects depict the sonic landscape of the mountain.
Mvt. II Mountain Weeping centres on a simple melody which is taken up by the saxophone and further developed in an extended cadenza. The movement culminates in a flowing and nostalgic theme, poured out by the piano.
Mvt. III Mountain Dance is a romp in compound time. Vibrant, virtuosic and light-hearted, it is a celebration of life at the foot of the mountain.
This work forms part of an Australia Council for the Arts project to reimagine the possibilities of the concerto format for our times.













