A Study: Steven Stucky's "Notturno."

Scholars and professional saxophonists regard the
compositions for saxophone written during the
inter-war period (1918-1945) to be the foundation of
the modern saxophone repertoire. However, many works
composed during the third and fourth quarter of the
twentieth century surpass those of the previous
period and clearly establish a new standard of
writing for the modern saxophone. This new standard
of classical performance practice for the saxophone
represents an evolution in technique and sound. This
study examines the composition Notturno (1981) for
saxophone and piano by the American composer Steven
Stucky. The express purpose of this study is to
elicit a greater understanding of present-day
saxophone performance practices by examining a work
that contains quintessential characteristics of the
new modern performance practice standard. Specific
performance techniques contained in Notturno are
briefly contextualized historically, and described in
detail. Performance suggestions are also offered to
assist the performer in realizing those techniques.

Autorentext
Dr. Christopher J. Greco is a composer, performer, educator, and
scholar of music. He composes and performs a broad and diverse
range of chamber and orchestral music, with a specialization in
the studies and performance of twentieth century music. Dr. Greco
earned a D.M.A., performance (UCLA), and a M.A., composition (CSULA).