Trio for Flute, Alto Saxophone and Piano (2023)

Sometimes music seeks nothing more than to please the hearer, and that is the case with my Trio for Flute, Alto Saxophone, and Piano. A good friend of mine recently told me that he has this piece set as his wake-up music, to start him off in a good mood. And this is indeed a sunny, unpretentious work. It is the musical equivalent of a day in the park, with its straightforward, playful first movement and long, lyrical slow movement leading to a frolicsome, vivacious finale.

The leisurely pace of the opening movement lends itself to lyrical ideas that flow easily from one to another. In the second movement, the gently mourning saxophone begins alone, but is then joined by the flute and piano in a more optimistic central section. When the opening melody returns it is sung by the flute, supported by rich new harmonies in the saxophone and piano. The movement ends in quiet contemplation. Flute and Saxophone begin the last movement in a sprightly duet that returns throughout the movement in ever new guises. A gently jazzy middle section with syncopated accompaniments provides contrast. Nearby, you can hear a fine performance of this work by flutist Brandon LePage, saxophonist Walter Puyear, and pianist Joonghun Cho.

1. Not too fast, amiably
2. Simply and reflectively
3. Playfully, but not too fast