Red Giant, for saxophone quartet | Gala Flagello (with score)

Red Giant (2023) for SATB or AATB saxophone quartet
This work was commissioned by a consortium of saxophonists organized by Matthew Younglove and Joshua Thomas as a part of the Assembly Quartet Pedagogy Project. Assembly Quartet members are Adam Estes, Ian Jeffress, Jeffrey Heisler, Matthew Younglove.
More about the piece: www.galaflagello.com/external...
PROGRAM NOTE:
Red Giant (2023) depicts the red giant stage of the life cycle of a star. Before this point, the outward pressure of nuclear fusion balances the inward pressure of gravity, but over time the star's core fusion ceases, gravity compresses the star, its helium core contracts, and the star expands, its luminosity intensifying (hence the illustrative term "red giant"). The sax quartet portrays this celestial transformation through expanding and contracting note values, gestures that brighten through registral change, and increasing tempi. Huge thanks to Matthew Younglove, Joshua Thomas, the Assembly Quartet, and the consortium of saxophonists who commissioned this work as part of the Assembly Quartet Pedagogy Project.