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A few words from Marilyn Strevens
Very little is known about Guillaume Balay. However his rich harmony and romantic lyricism would almost certainly have been influenced by Vincent d’Indy with whom he studied composition. In 1894 he was appointed Deputy Bandmaster of the first Regiment and the same year, after eight months study he won the first prize for Cornet at the Conservatoire and in 1898 he became Principal Conductor. In 1904 he transferred to the 72nd Regiment. Balay enriched the band’s repertoire with his own compositions and transcriptions.
Petit Pièce Concertante
This delightful piece was written for cornet. It opens with a lovely lyrical melody accompanied by the piano. It is followed by a short piano solo, with some interesting cross rhythms leading to a saxophone solo, which builds to a climax before gradually fading away and the lyrical theme returns with the instruction to be played “with elegance”. There is a change of mood halfway through the work, a change of key for a “moderate march”.
Marilyn Strevens, 2020
Scoring: alto or soprano saxophone and piano
Standard: moderate to advanced
Duration: c. 5 minutes
CSCP047