Montagne Pelée, for baritone saxophone & optional Rubens tube
This is the video of the premiere of the piece Montagne Pelée , for solo baritone saxophone , with optional Rubens tube . Montagne Pelée was inspired by saxophonist Kenneth Tse ’s interaction with the flames of a Rubens tube built by Dale Stille at the University of Iowa. It is also an echo of the 1902 catastrophic eruption of Mount Pelée in the Island of Martinique. The different parts of the piece trace a story from early fumaroles and eruptions to the pyroclastic surge to the remaining ashes and light. I composed the multiphonic sounds on a Yamaha baritone saxophone, model YBS-62ii. In the score, the pitch notation of the multiphonic sounds is approximative; in most cases, only two pitches are written even if more may be heard. The performer may adapt the fingerings if necessary. The piece was premiered on October 6, 2025 at the University of Iowa, featuring an introduction by Professor of Physics Frederick Skiff. Interesting: the Rubens tube was invented in 1905, 60 years a...