World Premiere Elise Hall – We Thank You! for Sax orchestra
Paris International Gala Concert
4pm – Sunday 17 November, 2024
Église Saint-Merri
76 Rue de la Verrerie, Paris.
Beaugeais’ new saxophone orchestra piece Elise Hall – We Thank You! (2024) composed for this global tribute event in celebrating saxophone pioneer Elise Hall (1853-1924) will be performed by L’Ensemble Elise Hall – a specially curated large saxophone ensemble comprising of female professors throughout France.
Official Concert Program Note – Free to use for concert programs
Elise Hall – We Thank You! by Katia Beaugeais
« En hommage à Elise Hall pour tout le chemin qu’elle a tracé pour nous ! »
Elise Hall – We Thank You! for saxophone ensemble was commissioned by French saxophonist, Nicolas Prost, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Elise Hall’s death.
The world premiere was performed at the Elise Hall International Tribute Concert at the Église Saint-Merry in Paris on 17 November 2024, followed by ten other countries.
This piece is dedicated to Mrs Elise Hall (1853-1924).
When composing Elise Hall – We Thank You! I wanted to create a special atmosphere, where we feel the presence of Elise Hall with us on stage and in the audience.
For this reason, certain motifs from Elise Hall’s well-known commissioned works – Claude Debussy’s Rhapsodie and André Caplet’s Légende – are used as inspiration in the opening and final section.
Elise Hall – We Thank You! features contemporary saxophone techniques, nature sounds and bursts of colour in free, dream-like, atmospheric and unifying ways in honour of Elise Hall. Bellbirds (birds of Australia), wind and sea wave sounds are created by quarter-tone bird-like trills, ringing bell chords, delicate air vibrato, multiphonics, rippling glissandos and the saxophonists whistling like birds.
Elise Hall not only defied social norms by being one of the first women saxophonists of her time, but she also commissioned new saxophone works by leading composers which have shaped my dual role as saxophonist and composer.
With this piece, I want to thank Elise Hall for the trailblazing woman she was! And for her profound lasting impact on classical saxophone repertoire and the saxophone community of today, Elise Hall – we thank you!
Katia Beaugeais – Sydney, Australia – 17 November 2024.
CLICK ON Sample Pages to Enlarge:
For more performances of this piece See Events…
