Songs for the Coming Day

Songs for the Coming Day2020-03-16T21:25:02+00:00

Project Description

Saxophone Quartet
2012
48 min.

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Masato Kumoi Saxophone Quartet. 
live recording

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Movements

  1. At This Time
  2. Breathing
  3. Awakening
  4. For the Dead
  5. Letting Go of the Past
  6. The World is New
  7. When I cannot love I wait for morning
  8. The soul is here for its own joy
  9. Song for the Coming Day

Commissioned by

Songs for the Coming Day was commissioned by the Masato Kumoi Sax Quartet. The members of the quartet are: Masato Kumoi, Wataru Sato, Kazuyuki Hayashida, and Takahiro Nishio. This music is gratefully dedicated to them, and to the following who supported the commission:

  • Amethyst Quartet
    • Sean Hurlburt
    • Nathan Nabb
    • Johnny Salinas
    • Masahito Sugihara
  • Arion Saxophone Quartet
    • Yusuke Horie
    • Shinji Komori
    • Norie Sano
    • Hiroyuki Endo
  • Assembly Quartet
    • Lauren Meccia
    • Ian Jeffress
    • Matt Younglove
    • Adam Estes
  • Collegio Sax Quartet
    • Masato Kumoi
    • Yusuke Horie
    • Aiko Fujiwara
    • Kaya Mamuro
  • Project Fusion
    • Daniel Espinoza
    • Matt Amedio
    • Michael Sawzin
    • Matt Evans
  • Syzygy Saxophone Quartet
    • Naomi Sullivan
    • Dominic Childs
    • Paul McEachran
    • Neil McGovern
      • Donors in support of the Syzygy Saxophone Quartet include the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain, Birmingham Conservatorie, and Caroline Marriott.
  • Zzyzx Quartet
    • Stacy Wilson
    • Stephen Page
    • Matt Evans
    • Dana Booher
  • Rex Ltd.
  • Kota Odashima

Premiere

30 September, 2012 by the Masato Kumoi Saxophone Quartet in Tokyo, Japan

Program Note

Songs for the Coming Day is in nine movements, and runs about 48 minutes. It was commissioned by the Masato Kumoi Sax Quartet and consortium. The movements are relatively brief “songs without words” with titles such as Breathing, Awakening, Letting Go of the Past, and The Soul is Here for its Own Joy. Eight of the nine movements are varying degrees of slow, emphasizing longer durations and quieter dynamics. There is a high demand for precise ensemble awareness and blended tone qualities. The title Songs for the Coming Day reflects my belief that under the chaotic surface of our world there is a rising creative energy through which is growing a new idea of living in harmony with ourselves and the Earth.

Program Notes by David Maslanka

Further Reading

Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 74, Time

19 November 2019|0 Comments

Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three of David’s works that contemplate the enigma of time: “At This Time” from Songs for the Coming Day, Symphony No. 10: The River of Time, and "A Song for the End of Time" from Song Book for Flute and Wind Ensemble.

Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 68, More New Performances of Saxophone Music

8 October 2019|0 Comments

Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three new performances of some of David’s best saxophone music: Songs for the Coming DayConcerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble, and David's transcription of J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations for Saxophone Quartet.

Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 57, Morning

22 July 2019|0 Comments

Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three of David's works that celebrate or look to the joy of morning: "When I cannot love I wait for morning" from Songs for the Coming Day, On This Bright Morning, and Morning Star.

Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 56, New Performances of Saxophone Quartet Music

15 July 2019|0 Comments

Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three new performances of saxophone quartet music: "Fanfare/Variations on Durch Adams Fall” from Recitation Book, "Inwardly" and "Dramatic" from Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble, and "The soul is here for its own joy" from Songs for the Coming Day.

Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 44, Songs Without Words

23 April 2019|0 Comments

Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three beautiful examples of David's "Songs Without Words," of which there are literally dozens to choose from: "Awakening" from Songs for the Coming Day, Evening Song, and "Lost" from Song Book for Alto Saxophone and Marimba.