Fire, Air, Water, Earth
by Massimiliano Messieri (2022)
[Duration 30 minutes]
Solo Alto Saxophone and Symphony Orchestra
A project conceived by saxophonist Alex Sebastianutto who, through the pen of composer Massimiliano Messieri, aims to highlight socio-environmental issues (the indissoluble relationship between human society and nature). This is achieved through a composition designed to use music to stir the listener’s awareness toward a contemporary theme vital to the survival of the human race: the realization that “humanity does not dominate nature, but is an integral part of it.” Both East and West have developed a close connection between the human microcosm and the natural macrocosm. The importance of the balance of the Elements is fundamental to the life of the human species and the existence of the entire universe. From the interaction of these Elements, composed of particles mixed in varying proportions, all cosmic phenomena originate: birth, death, and transformation.
World Premiere October 27th 2022, Sanremo Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Nayden Todorov
Prayer for alto saxophone and orchestra
by Massimiliano Messieri (2026)
World Premiere November 14th 2026, Longmont Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Elliot Moore
KU (2026) – Prayer for Alto Saxophone and Large Orchestra Although born four years after Elements Concerto(2022) and featuring a more imposing instrumentation (with brass positioned spatially in front of the orchestra and soloist), KU represents its natural and evolutionary conclusion. In Japanese, KU means ‘the void’ or ’emptiness,’ understood as the source and point of connection with the universe’s primordial creative energy. Written to complete the cycle of the five elements, the piece ideally links back to the fourth movement (Earth): in fact, it emerges from a few seconds of pure silence, marked solely by the conductor’s gesture. A work of intense spiritual power, it is conceived as a bridge toward the cycle, yet fully capable of standing on its own as a grand, solitary prayer addressed to the cosmos.
Prelude, Orientale, Spleen, Blokus, Noel 1991, Chaud devant!
by Jean-Denis Michat (2017)
[Duration 18 minutes]
Solo Soprano Saxophone and String Orchestra
Song Book, a masterpiece by the renowned French saxophonist and composer Jean-Denis Michat, is a fascinating and profoundly lyrical work written for soprano saxophone and string orchestra. Deeply inspired by vocal music and the dramatic intensity of operatic arias, the piece transforms the saxophone into a true opera singer, entrusting it with vibrant melodies rich in pathos. Through refined and engaging writing, the composition explores the entire range of colors and timbral nuances of the instrument, while also leaving room for moments of improvisation by the soloist. This allows every performer to fully express their artistic personality, creating an intimate, expressive, and extraordinarily elegant sound experience.
by Lamberto Lugli (2003/2017)
[Duration 18 minutes]
Solo Alto Saxophone and Symphony Orchestra
Jan’s Shriek for saxophone and symphony orchestra by Lamberto Lugli is a work of overwhelming dramatic tension, in which virtuous contemporary writing intertwines with a profound symbolic and ethical charge. The piece draws inspiration from the tragic and stoic sacrifice of Jan Palach, a Czech student who set himself on fire in Prague in 1969 to protest against the Soviet occupation. Within this complex sonic architecture, the solo saxophone embodies the very spirit of Palach: an individual, raw, and desperate voice that rises with force, alternating outbursts of agonizing lyricism with pyrotechnic flourishes, flutter-tonguing, and timbral lacerations that give shape to the stifled scream of protest. Rather than merely accompanying, the symphony orchestra erects a towering and menacing wall of sound around the soloist—built on sharp percussion, piercing brass, and swirling string textures—acting as a metaphor for both oppressive power and the tumultuous context of the era. In the tight and often confrontational dialogue between the saxophone and the orchestral mass, Lugli transforms the fire of that historical act into pure acoustic matter, offering the listener a sonic portrait of rare emotional intensity, where pain is transmuted into testimony and music becomes an indelible cry for freedom.