Seeking Ithaca

An exciting work inspired by the adventures of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. It is cast in 2 programmatic movements, Calypso’s Gift and Adventure. In the first movement Odysseus is stranded on the Calypso’s island, where he becomes enchanted by the beautiful goddess. Calypso is in love with Odysseus, but she makes the decision to let him continue his adventures and find his family again. Musically, the mournful yet proud opening saxophone melody employs both traditional sounds and extended techniques such as key pops and air-tones. This melody, in one form or another, becomes the basis for most of the composition, which is harmonically fleshed out by extended chords in the piano part. A slower second half, marked “Distantly, sadly,” recalls motives from the opening section, and creates a sense of loss, signified by the sax’s pitchless air-tone at the conclusion. The exciting second movement, Adventures, is inspired by Odysseus’ encounter with the Cyclops. This piece is a”must” for the advanced saxophonist!