2025
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Saxophone Concerto
Adolphus Hailstork
“…McAllister’s flexibility of sound, judicious use of vibrato, ease of altissimo, and tonal techniques make it possible to listen without distraction.”
“Within Adams’s symphonic feast, one hears high energy rhythmic virtuosity recalling that of Franz Waxman’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) prelude, towering alto saxophone solos mastered to the bone by Timothy McAllister…”
“McAllister shone in the virtuosic concerto, navigating the perilous runs and figures with ease while keeping a high level of technical proficiency. His musicality was the high point of the performance, especially in the opening movement where Dahl eschewed a steady beat and rhythm, leaving the soloist to push forward the musical line. The final movement was a whirlwind of fingers, but each note and phrase was perfectly placed.”
“The [Cabrillo Festival Opening] concert’s highlight concluded its first half: Jennifer Higdon’s Soprano Sax Concerto…and it was superbly realized by soloist Timothy McAllister…This work is a significant testament to beauty.”
[Review: “Albany Symphony, Cheng and McAllister in top form”]
To finish the evening, John Corigliano’s “Triathlon for Saxophonist and Orchestra” would be hard to beat. With Grammy-winning saxophonist Timothy McAllister as the star, the piece is not only a tour de force for the saxophone but also for the orchestra…the overall effect was buoyant, bold, funky, and very in-your-face confident.“
“Agile and sometimes contorted, McAllister relentlessly delivered the goods, riding the top of Adams’ melded composite of sound…the best moments were found in McAllister’s melodies shifting seamlessly as they morphed through the ensemble…”
[Review: “John Adams Saxophone Concerto is a Hit”]
“Adams’s new Saxophone Concerto, with its dedicatee Timothy McAllister as the soloist, was fascinating. Adams grew up listening to bebop, and that idiom shone exhilaratingly through, but there were also echoes of Stravinsky and Bernstein. The intricate inventiveness of the solo line was subtly shadowed by bassoon, flute, and the saxophone’s clarinet cousin: Marin Alsop and the BBC Symphony Orchestra did it proud.”