for Saxophone Quartet, Soloist and Electronics
Commissioned by the Quasar Saxophone Quartet
Pedro Rebelo, 2016

Premiere: In Vivo 8 Jouer Avec Le Feau, Amphiteatre Le Gesù, Montreal. 10 November 2016

Score Excerpt

‘In a Line’ takes the role of the soloist and subverts ideas of virtuosity, musical hierarchy and status. The piece is written for and with the Quasar Saxophone Quartet who are asked to invite a soloist of their choice (any wind instrument) for the performance of the piece.

The music is an exploration of the solo as formal device and is rooted in the musicality of the members of the quartet who are asked to record a solo of their choice.  This recorded solo becomes fragmented and forms the core of the electronic part of the piece.

Members of the quartet are invited to think about what ‘the solo’ means to them and to consider what to record; an etude, an improvisation, blowing over a play along etc… The ’soloist’ in turn is asked to blend in and respond to both pre-recorded and live concert materials.

“In a Line” is notated on a digital graphic score and explores alternative ways of projecting the sound of a quartet by asking the musicians to be (literally) in a line.