The Heart, It Soars

The saxophone concerto The Heart, It Soars by Alexander Aarøen was commissioned by the saxophonist Ola Asdahl Rokkones in 2018, when Aarøen was just 25 years old. The final work was premiered the 27th January 2019 in Tromsø Cathedral, together with the Austrian string ensemble Wiener Kammersymphonie - in the frame of the Northern Lights Festival (Nordlysfestivalen).

The work is quite romantic and classical in style. With very recognisable melodies and themes, the music by Aarøen easily reaches the listener, and it is clearly a joyful ode to life and love.

The Heart, It Soars is divided into three movements: I. The Autumn of Childhood, II. Spring, and III. All Seasons Must Pass. Aarøen explains: “The Heart, It Soars is a portrayal of growing up, where the music puts an autumnal frame to the inevitable end of the childhood. The listener is carried through a cascade of feelings and moods, a voyage from darkness to light, and from melancholia to acceptance.”

The first movement, The Autumn of Childhood, has a calm character, with the strings starting very softly without the saxophone. The tempo indication “Triste” (sad) underlines the melancholic mood of the music. The saxophone takes over alone with a short melody, followed by a sombre and descending cello solo. This leads to the tutti part, where the saxophone is supported by a rich orchestration in the strings. We hear clear musical references to the great romantic composers such as Edvard Grieg. After a short cadenza in the saxophone, the music builds up through a long and emotional crescendo towards a solemn climax. At the end of the movement, the soft character returns, with tremolo and small movements in the strings, and a sweet melody in the saxophone.

The second movement Spring begins attacca, and with the tempo indication “Allegro con brio” it creates a clear contrast to the first movement. Unison melodies in both saxophone and strings bring forth a playful and dancing character and remind us of Irish folk music as well as the French composer Darius Milhaud. Several passages have jazz-like phrases, and the melodic fragments are fre- quently exchanged between the orchestra and the saxophone. The expression is joyful and innocent, and we picture children running around and playing. In the further musical development, Aarøen brings us through many tonal shifts and moods. A climax with long and lingering notes is achieved before a long saxophone cadenza takes over. When the orchestra returns at the end of the movement, the character changes to “Misterioso” with very soft dynamics and long chords.

The third movement All Seasons Must Pass is, like the first, calm. But this time, it is “Con amore” — with love. It starts with a sweet melody in solo violin. Then the orchestra comes in and the melody is repeated in the saxophone. This movement is tender and cantabile throughout and is also the shortest of the three movements.

The piano reduction was made by Ola Asdahl Rokkones, and revised by Alexander Aarøen. In the process, the experienced pianist Friedrike Bischoff tried out the arrangements and contributed with valuable advice and recommendations.

The work was created in concert by Ola Asdahl Rokkones on January 27, 2019 at Tromsø Cathedral, accompanied by the Vienna string orchestra, the Wiener Kammersymphonie, as part of the Northern Lights Festival (Nordlysfestivalen).