Score
In 2011, I had two excellent students at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music as members of the Green-Tie Wind Ensemble (GWE), of which I was director. They were Satoru Kobayashi (saxophone) and Hitoshi Kosaki (Euphonium). I had the idea to write small concerto for them. They could easily play a wide range, and their playing techniques and expression were outstanding. I therefore made it an exuberant and luscious work in a virtuoso style. In the middle section, a cadenza by the two soloists is followed by saxophone and euphonium sections in band. It was premiered on November 26, 2011 under the baton of Nobutaka Masui.
Composed by formatting the computer file of my band arrangement of "Carnival of Venice", the title had been left while writing music, and parts were even handed to the players. It was strange to hear rumors that GWE was practicing Berlioz's "Roman Carnival" Overture. It took time for me to understand it was a misunderstanding about the word "Carnival". I had the idea to leave the word "Carnival" in the title. So, in fact, this is not a music for a "Carnival", in fact! Anyway, I enjoyed writing this music.
After the great success of premiere, someone advised me to write a further movement, but I have no intention of doing so. Later on, however, a version with piano accompaniment, a fanfare band version, and the version for two alto saxophones have been made.
(Yasuhide Ito)
