The Devil’s Handyman Suite
(2019)
The Washington Saxophone Quartet liked my commission for their 30th anniversary so much that they asked for another piece for their 40th anniversary. That was in 2015; unfortunately, it took me four years to complete it. Nevertheless, they seemed to like this one, too, and have been including it on their concerts. It’s an arrangment of five of the original nine movements of “The Devil’s Handyman,” a nine-movment work of completely different instrumentation, originally commissioned by the 21st Century Consort.
- I. Abandoned Death Ship of No Port with a List
- II. Trophy for a Gasoline Apollo
- III. Machine Dedicated to Spike Jones*
- IV. The Silver Queen
- V. Swingin' Red King
* Spike Jones “was an American musician and bandleader specializing in spoof arrangements of popular songs and classical music. Ballads receiving the Jones treatment were punctuated with gunshots, whistles, cowbells and outlandish and comedic vocals.” — Wikipedia, “Spike Jones“
Audio Excerpt
III. Machine Dedicated to Spike Jones (Washington Saxophone Quartet)
Instrumentation
Soprano Saxophone
Alto Saxophone (+ “Whee Whistle”)
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone (+ Slapstick, Cowbell, Vibraslap, Slide Whistle, and Duck Call)
Alto Saxophone (+ “Whee Whistle”)
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone (+ Slapstick, Cowbell, Vibraslap, Slide Whistle, and Duck Call)
Duration
22:00
Commission

Wahington Saxophone Quartet