Buess, Alex - ata-9

Buess, Alex : ata-9 for four soprano saxophones

ata-9 for four soprano saxophones is based on a non-tempered scale which derives from 9 Balinese Gongs. The difference between this non-tempered and the tempered tonality is a very important part of this work. Words like repetition, mirror, inversion or metamorphosis describe the ideas behind the composition.

Three compositional ideas build the main body of ata-9:

-the loops: short repeated structures which are proposed to the players as "ready mades" that may be varied up to a defined range

-the "traditionally" notated parts and

-the multiphonics mainly derived from the sound of the 9 Gongs.

This Work has been commissioned by the XASAX saxophone quartet (Paris)

Alex Buess