Canto XII - SOLO BSN

Canto XII: Four Concert Etudes for solo bassoon
by Samuel Adler (b. 1928) - American composer and conductor

1. Sermon
2. Scherzo
3. "Sacre" Serenade
4. Saltarello

Since 1970, I have written a series of Cantos for various solo instruments. This is the twelfth in this series and is made up of four concert etudes for solo bassoon and dedicated to four bassoonists whom I admire and have been associated with for a long time. 
The first movement is dedicated to K. David Van Hoesen. It is called, "Sermon" and is just that- a recitative performed freely and in a sermonizing way. The second, dedicated to Judith LeClair, the principal bassoonist of the New York Philharmonic, is a light and virtuoso "Scherzo". The third, dedicated to my former student Stephen Paulson who is principal bassoonist of the San Francisco Symphony, is called "Sacre" Serenade. It is based on the famous bassoon solo from Stravinsky's work and is composed throughout with variations and embellishments. The fourth and final movement is a dance called "Saltarello", dedicated to the former great principal bassoonist of the Philharmonic Orchestra, Sol Schoenbach, and is a fast and furious dance in the Italian tradition. The work was written in August of 1989 and certainly should give any bassoon player the challenge of revealing his prowess on this great instrument. 
-Samuel Adler