Sean William Calhoun | Composer and pianist

Pairings, for saxophone trio (ATBari) (2013) – 10'

I. Prelude — Fugue
II. Gigue — Forlane
III. Overture — Toccata Presto
Pairings is based on putting two different forms or elements together. Prelude — Fugue sets this off; rather than simply a prelude followed by a fugue, the two are based on the same theme, and the style of the prelude returns amidst the fugue, and closes out the movement. Forlane — Gigue begins with the gigue and has the forlane as a B section, seeming to be in a straightforward rounded binary form, but when the A section returns, the forlane music continues alongside the gigue. The last movement, Overture — Toccata Presto (OTP) begins with the dotted rhythms of a French overture before launching into a rapid 5/8 with interruptions. The dotted rhythms from the overture return, reworked into 5/8, along with the theme from the first movement.

Recording and score