Himmelfahrt in die Tiefen der Nacht (2010-11) Listen
den nächtlichen Funken entgegen (2011)
Verlöschend (2011)
Zifferblatt der Nacht (2011)

Fulmer’s cycle ‘On Night’ for soprano saxophone and ensemble was revealed in it’s full dimension for the first time on December 11, 2011 by the Argento Ensemble featuring Eliot Gattegno with the composer as conductor. The work, traversing over a multitude of textures and contours, and lasting nearly an hour in duration, has been a work in progress for over a year.

‘On Night’ comprises of four pieces; Himmelfahrt in die Tiefen der Nacht (Ascension into the Depths of the Night), den nächtlichen Funken entgegen (Toward a Spark in the Night), Verlöschend (Extinguishing), and Zifferblatt der Nacht (Night’s Dial). Himmelfahrt was composed for the Heidelberger Frühling Internationales Musikfestival, and premiered there in the Spring of 2011. Den nächtlichen Funken entgegen, was commissioned by the SONiC festival (NYC) and premiered at Joyce SoHo, where Fulmer collaborated with film-maker and choreographer Deborah Lohse. The solo instrument in combination with a delicate scoring of percussion appears in this interlude as the work folds into Verloschend; a short, intimate fantasy for solo saxophone. Zifferblatt der Nacht, commissioned for the Argento Ensemble and the Moving Sounds Festival, is the fourth and final piece of this sonic web. Perhaps the most sonically dense of the pieces, Zifferblatt der Nacht includes timbrally thrilling sounds of unusual and seldom heard metallic percussion instruments underneath a fragile veil of textures that emerge from the extended techniques of the saxophone. Luminous articulations of bowed percussion combine with unique harmonic structures of the solo instrument to sculpt a sonic landscape searing with microtonality and endless temporal boundaries evoking the “sounds of night”. Inspired by the works of Edvard Munch, and the woodblock prints of Hideo Hagiwara, ‘On Night’ punctuates rich textures focusing on contrasting profiles of light and dark.

The Modern Saxophone Project is the "book" I wish I had when I began my undergraduate studies at the New England Conservatory. At that time, information about the contemporary saxophone was available; but inconsistent, untranslated, and even worse, contradictory.

I write "book" because some portions are going to be available in the form of a book, and some take advantage of the possibilities new media offer us; therefore they can only exist on the Internet. The Modern Saxophone Project is currently available in four volumes, Scales, Microtones, Techniques, and Multiphonics.

The Multiphonics "book" is only available online. The material shared is the outgrowth of my doctoral dissertation at the University of California, San Diego, and my position as a Fellow at Harvard University. My aim is to provide organized, accurate and usable information on seemingly unclassifiable, chaotic, and unpredictable material.

The Scales book is based on the routine that I have personally used for the past decade, or so. While there is far to much information for some, I, like many, are visual learners. Meaning, when you put it in front of me, I am much more likely to consistently practice it. If you are just becoming acquainted with the saxophone, I suggest you start at the beginning. If you are an advanced student, feel free to jump to the place that is appropriate for your level. My experience has shown me that many students get tired with playing the same scale exercises every day. This book is the answer to that problem. My goal is to provide a variety of ways to practice scales that incorporate the full range of possibility on the saxophone.

The Microtones book is the first of its type. Today, more composers are writing in a language that divides the octave to much smaller than 12 pitches. This book provides the student and experienced musician alike a medium to explore and refine this rich language outside the context of a musical composition.

I am a firm believer in separating the learning of a new piece of music from learning a new technique. That is why I included the volume on Techniques. These explanations and exercises give the performer ample opportunity to master a new technique before incorporating it into a musical context and composers a complete notation guide to many of the common saxophone techniques as well as examples of how they can be used. This volume will be available in print with supplemental material, mainly videos, available online. While certainly not necessary to use the online component, some may find it helpful.

This series is by no way an attempt to exhaust all the possibilities on the saxophone. It is however, an attempt at showing the wealth of opportunities, and a starting point for exploration. I hope you enjoy your journey.

Eliot Gattegno, Associate Director and Co-curator for Ensemble Sospeso's 2011-12 Season.

The Blank Canvas
Morton Feldman: FOR CHRISTIAN WOLFF
December 8, 2012 | 8pm
Issue Project Room | Brooklyn, NY

Macchina Sospiro
Luigi Nono: LA LONTANANZA NOSTALGICA UTOPICA FUTURA
Pierre Boulez: DIALOGUE DE L’OMBRE DOUBLE
Pierre Boulez: ANTHÈMES 2
Mark Menzies: NEW WORK
March 2, 2012
Mary Flagler Cary Hall, DiMenna Center | New York, NY

Repetition
Janacek, Prokofiev, and Berio
April 4, 2012
Bohemian National Hall | New York, NY

Picking Up the Pieces
György Kurtag: KAFKA FRAGMENTS
May 10, 2012
Bohemian National Hall | New York, NY

Sospeso’s 2011-2012 season is made possible
through the generous support of Selmer.

Eliot Gattegno, Executive Director

An important way that music of our time is assured a place in the repertory is through commissions and commission consortiums. Recently, because of individual financial constraints, commission consortiums have played a vital role in hiring established and historically important composers to write new music. One of the most important current consortium organizations is World-Wide Concurrent Premieres and Commission Fund, Inc.

World-Wide Concurrent Premieres and Commission Fund, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that chooses composers, and presents world-premieres of the same work by multiple performers in different locations, world-wide. WWCPCF, as an organization, empowers solo performers, chamber musicians and large ensembles, and all on every level from community, college or professional levels, with the ability to commission works without massive fund-raising efforts by the individual or the organization. With a relatively small contribution (usually $100–$350), a certain number of performers or organizations (anywhere from 5–150) premiere the work of a given composer on the same day, world-wide.

Begun in 1992, WWCPCF has commissioned composers in all stages of their career from established to emerging. Commissioned composers include John Harbison, Chris Theofanidis, Larry Bell, Frank Ticheli, Yehudi Wyner, Michael Horvit, Gunther Schuller, Jakov Jakoulov, Michael Colgrass, Shih-Hui Chen, John McDonald, Howard Frazin, Elliott Schwartz and Halim El-Dabh. These commissioned composers have produced new music for a variety of musical ensembles which include solo saxophone with orchestra, wind ensemble, cello and piano, saxophone and choir with organ, piano ensemble, and horn and violin with piano to name a few.

The WWCPCF commissioned pieces have been performed by musicians at all levels from professional ensembles such as the Juilliard String Quartet, Omaha Symphony, New Music New Haven, Mallarme Chamber Players and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players to student ensembles such as the Yale University Concert Band, Cypress Falls High School Band and the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra to community ensembles such as the Waco Community Band, Community School of the Arts (North Carolina) and the Music Center of the Northwest (Seattle).

Through the efforts of WWCPCF music of our time has been heard around the world in a way that is entirely unprecedented. WWCPCF commissioned works do not receive just one premiere in one location, but receive up to one-hundred premieres within the first year in different locations world-wide. This has proved to be a successful situation for both composers and performers. A composer’s piece is heard in numerous locations around the world within the first year of completion and the performers are able to take part in a world-premiere that before had just been exclusive to one performer or performing group.

From the beginning WWCPCF has been clear on its goal of being a grass-roots commissioning organization that offers the utmost benefit to all participants. An organization that empowers the individual (or group) with the ability to commission works without the large financial responsibility. WWCPCF wants to make new music available to both the performers and the public. The organization pursues this essence with every WWCPCF commission and continues its passion for allowing all musicians to participate in world premieres.

PAST COMMISSIONS

Chris Theofanidis - Concerto ‘Netherland’ for saxophone and orchestra (1993)
John Harbison - Sonata for alto saxophone and piano ‘San-Antonio’ (1995)
Larry Thomas Bell - Trio ‘Mahler in Blue Light’ for saxophone, cello, and piano (1996)
Michael Horvit - ‘Land of Dreams’ for saxophone, voice and choir (1998)
Yehudi Wyner - 'Horntrio' for cello and piano (1997) Runner up for the Pulitzer Prize
Frank Ticheli - ‘Blue Shades’ for clarinet and band (1997)
Gunther Schuller - Sonata for saxophone and piano (1999)
Jakov Jakoulov - ‘The Snow Queen’ for 12 hands, 2 pianos (1999)
Michael Colgrass - ‘Dream Dancer’ for saxophone and wind orchestra (2001)
Gunther Schuller - Duo Concertante for cello and piano (2002)
Howard Frazin - "The Jester, the Artist and the Little Lion" saxophone, cello, piano (2004)
John McDonald - "Transcriptions, Op. 397" for saxophone and string quartet (2004)
Shih-Hui Chen - "Plum Blossoms" for saxophone and piano (2004)
Elliott Schwartz - "A Summers Journey" solo flute, solo horn and wind ensemble (2005)
Halim El Dabh - The Miraculous Tale for saxophone and derabucca (2006)
Michael Finnissy - Clarinet Sonata (2007)
Lei Liang - "Yuan" for saxophone quartet (2009)