Jesper Nordin (1971)

Sleep now in the fire (2001)

concerto for saxophone and orchestra

  • General information
    • Composition date: 2001
    • Duration: 19 mn
    • Publisher: Swedish Music Information Center
Detailed formation
  • soloist: saxophone
  • 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 3 percussionists, piano, strings

Premiere information

  • Date: 12 October 2001
    Location:

    Norvège, Oslo


    Performers:

    Rolf-Erik Nystrøm  et l'Orchestre symphonique NMH, direction : Rolf Gupta.

Program note

Sleep now in the fire is a saxophone concerto dedicated to Rolf-ErikNystrøm and is largely influenced by our mutual interest in hard rock, folk music, free improvised music and beyond. The four movements "sleep", "now", "in" and "the fire" are played attacca. The first and third movement are dominated by the orchestra while the soloist have the more dominant role in the second and fourth. The ambiguity in the title between relaxation and danger, stillness and eruption, dream and painful reality is present in the piece on many levels. All calm has a built-in anxiety while there in the wild parts are clarity. The title of the piece is taken from a song by the rock group Rage against the machine.

Jesper Nordin.