This past year, I had the opportunity to arrange music for the Eastman Saxophone Project (ESP), an ensemble directed by Professor Chien-Kwan Lin. ESP performs entire works from memory and without a conductor—think Stravinsky’s Octet or Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, both of which the group has performed. I was thrilled to get my feet wet in this new endeavor, but I quickly realized how overwhelming the process can be for a first-time arranger.
The first factor to consider was instrumentation. ESP’s size changes each year depending on studio enrollment; we had 17 players in the fall and 16 in the spring, which is somewhat smaller than in previous years. Not every piece translates well to saxophone ensemble, either. The instrument’s limited range makes certain string, wind, or piano parts—especially those at extreme registers—unplayable. Additionally, some pieces simply do not suit the saxophone’s sound. Memorization is another important consideration: ESP typically performs five to seven works per concert, so choosing a piece that is excessively difficult to memorize can limit rehearsal time for the rest of the program.
After consulting with Professor Lin and assistant director Landon Chang, I chose to arrange Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Procession of the Nobles for the fall and Florence Price’s Adoration for the spring. Procession seemed ideal as a concert opener and offered opportunities for engaging choreography, while Adoration would provide contrast and showcase the ensemble’s more sensitive, lyrical playing.
Each piece presented its own set of challenges. In Procession of the Nobles, the primary issue was timbre—how to translate an orchestral work with its wide palette of instrumental colors into a homogeneous saxophone ensemble. I had to consider questions like: Which combination of saxophones best captures the opening trumpet fanfare? How can I clearly distinguish moments when winds or strings carry a motive? Although the saxophone is versatile, some registers are less flexible due to the instrument’s conical bore. This affects not only timbre, but also intonation, blend, and overall sound quality, all of which had to inform my scoring decisions.
Adoration proved more complex in a different way. Originally written for organ, the piece exists in many arrangements, including for string orchestra—the version I initially used when arranging it for saxophone sextet. When adapting that arrangement for ESP, I decided to retain a smaller ensemble, which raised several questions: How many players should I use? Which types of saxophones are most effective for each line? Where does the melody sit most comfortably, and on which instrument does it sound best? Because it is an organ work, I also had to consider breath—could players sustain long, continuous phrases, or would breathing disrupt the musical line?
With so many existing interpretations of Adoration, I also had to define my own. Initially, I leaned toward replicating the richness of a string orchestra. However, as rehearsals progressed, it became clear that a more intimate, organ-like approach was more effective. I made small adjustments to the arrangement to better reflect that aesthetic.
Both pieces were ultimately successful in performance. The choreography in Procession added a lively visual element, while Adoration resonated with audiences through its intimacy. I plan to publish these arrangements once the score and parts are fully engraved, and I hope they will be performed by other ensembles in the future.
Matthias Roth is a saxophonist and music theorist, interning at WXXI Classical at the end of his senior year at the Eastman School of Music. He'll be going to graduate school at Michigan State University starting this fall.