Downrange for
and
Published by Liber X Music (ASCAP)
alto sax, tenor sax
piano Jason Haney (2022)
Program Note
Music to accompany a ride on the Artemis SLS rocket, from the earth to orbit, an 8-and-a-half minute journey. Once begun with a propulsive rhythm and rising saxophone lines, it never slows down, but the ride does smooth out from time to time. At 4 minutes in, the point of no return is reached, where the spacecraft is too far downrange to turn back, and here the opening idea returns most clearly. At the end, orbit is reached, and as serene vistas of the earth below float past, the music fades into silence. This piece was commissioned by saxophonist Anthony Cincotta and written for him, saxophonist David Pope, and pianist Amy Robertson, and it was completed in 2022, approximately one month after the launch of Artemis I.
Performance Notes
The eighth note is constant through all meter changes. Pedaling in the piano is not marked in detail and should be used ad lib., taking care not to blur the changes of harmony. Due to the variability of the improvised section at the end, the total length of the piece may end up being more that 8.5 minutes, but should not be more than 9 minutes.
Alto Sax Tenor Sax Piano Steady and propulsive = 108 8 8 15 15 Downrange Jason Haney (2022) ©2022 by Jason Haney (ASCAP). Published by Liber X Music. All rights reserved.
Score
commissioned
by Anthony Cincotta Transposed
21 21 27 27 32 32 4 Downrange
39 39 cresc. 45 45 sub. sub. 50 50 5 Downrange
56 56 61 61 67 67 3 6 Downrange
73 73 3 78 78 3 3 3 83 83 7 Downrange
88 88 94 94 99 99 3 3 3 8 Downrange
104 3 104 3 3 3 109 3 3 109 3 3 114 114 3 3 3 9 Downrange
120 120 3 3 3 3 126 126 131 131 10 Downrange
135 135 139 139 143 143 11 Downrange
147 147 3 3 152 152 3 3 3 157 157 3 12 Downrange
162 162 5 3 3 168 168 3 174 174 3 13 Downrange
180 180 3 cresc. 186 186 3 192 192 5 5 14 Downrange
198 198 203 203 208 208 15 Downrange
212 212 216 216 3 marcato 3 3
222 222 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 16 Downrange
227 227 6 6 legato 6 6 6 6 l.h. 6 6 r.h. 231 231 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 235 235 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 17 Downrange
239 239 6 6 6 6 6 6 242 6 242 6 6 6 6 6 245 245 6 6 6 6 6 6 18 Downrange
249 249 6 3 6 255 255 6 3 6 6 6 260 3 260 6 3 6 19 Downrange
265 6 265 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 269 6 269 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 273 273 6 6 6 6 6 sub. 6 6 20 Downrange
*Repeat figure slowly, pedaled, out of time, with a gradual acceleration to the A Tempo. Change pitches approximately where indicated. Occasional 8va ad lib.
277 277 6 6 6 6 6 6 cresc. 6 6 6 6 282 6 6 282 6 6 6 6 6 6 3 3 3 3 287 287 3 3 3 quasi cadenza * cresc. poco a poco cresc. poco a poco 21 Downrange
3 3 cresc. cresc. 3 3 289 289 A tempo = 108 293 293 Poco piu mosso cresc. 22 Downrange
298 298 303 303 3 3 3 3 308 3 3 308 3 3 23 Downrange
last time: final 4 chords may be repeated ad. lib., fading to nothing
play 1x as written, then 1x 8va, then 1x 15ma
1st time: gradually release chord from m. 318 with Ped., then reapply and hold till end
*Beginning a few seconds after the piano, improvise using the given scale in any register: melodic figures and gestures reminiscent of the rest of the piece, but with a calm, serene character. Notes outside of the given scale may occasionally be used. The two saxophones may trade off melodic fragments or play together as desired. Rhythms should be generally slow, but not synchronized with the piano. Dynamics should be P to PP, fading to nothing at the end. As the pianist reaches the last four chords of the last repeat, the improvisation may continue for a time. The alto sax player should indicate when they are concluding, then the pianist will play the last four chords once more, fading to nothing.
314 3 3 314 3 3 319 319
Calm = 54
* * 45” ~ 60” last time n last time n 24 Downrange