Tempo — An essential aspect to consider throughout this composition is tempo. When
Creston visited Ithaca College in 1976, he heard a student of mine perform this work in a
master class. When I asked him about the tempo markings he said, “The person who put
the tempo markings on this piece was a fool! Yes, I’m talking about myself. The first
movement works well at the tempo 126, but the second and third are too fast. The second
movement should be played around 52-56 and the third around 144.” From that day on I
have used Creston’s amended tempos in performing and teaching this piece and suggest
other saxophonists do so as well.
The first movement has the greatest tempo fluctuation. While the exciting first section is
well suited to the 126 marking, the second (starting at measure 13) works best around
108-112. This theme is much freer than the first, especially due to the piano’s sixteenthnote
figurations. Bars 10-12 should be played in a calming and slowing manner to set up
this new tempo, with the in time in measure 13 interpreted merely as a return to a
constant tempo after the retard slightly of bar 12. This calmer and freer style remains
through the piano interlude, leading up to the climactic downbeat of bar 27. The
saxophonist’s entrance there marks the beginning of a quick accelerando to bring the
movement to its original tempo around bar 29. This tempo is maintained until the retard
slightly of measure 55, which returns the piece to the second theme and its 108-112
tempo. This marking continues until the in time - a shade slower of bar 72, where the
tempo works well at 100-104. From measure 79-84 the pace quickens to the original 126
and, after the one-bar retard, the piece remains at this tempo to the end.
In contrast to the tempo complexities of the first movement, the second retains its basic
tempo throughout. Since this is the slowest of the three movements, I prefer to play it at
a tempo of 48-52. This allows all of the sensuous harmonies in this gorgeous movement
to be fully heard. Although I suggest a rather constant beat, as determined by the quarternote
pulsations in the piano, be sure to use expressive rubato within the beat. The use of
tenutos, vibrato emphases, and creative pushing can give much hidden energy to an
otherwise metric interpretation. Take care to add three important tempo corrections to
the saxophone part. Bar 24 should read increase and accelerando, measure 26 is missing
the word retard, and bar 27 should include a little broad. These three omissions are
crucial to the movement’s climax, punctuated by the saxophone’s high F in measure 27.
Without them the busy piano rolls and arpeggios starting in bar 28 can be rushed. In the
second movement, always interpret the in time sections to mean a return to the original
tempo.
3
Movement three keeps its tempo constant. Only the words hold back slightly in measure
285 of the piano part interrupt an otherwise metronomic performance. Dynamics,
articulations, accents, and mordents serve to shape this movement, rather than tempo
variations.