The saxophone music of Thierry Escaich

Thierry Escaich (b. 1965) is one of the most renowned French musicians in the contemporary music field, where he enjoys an international career as a composer, organist, improviser, and teacher. Educated in the unique curriculum of the organ class at the Paris Conservatory, Escaich’s musical output reveals mastery of a traditional musical language combined with a singular artistic voice. While saxophonists in France frequently perform his works, those elsewhere, and especially in the United States, have comparably little awareness and appreciation of him: very few Americans have recorded any of his music, and none have published even a superficial analysis of his works. This lack of attention is especially unfortunate for a composer of Escaich’s quality. Despite his place as one of France’s leading composers, many serious saxophonists outside of France know little about him or his music.

This recording project and accompanying paper are meant to promote Escaich’s music and serve as resources primarily for saxophonists, but also for listeners of any background interested in Escaich. This project contains the first complete recording of all of Escaich’s substantial music featuring the saxophone, as well as an historical and analytical investigation of his compositional language and style. Significant original research lends insight into the recorded saxophone works compiled here, most notably through an interview with Escaich, a transcription of which is available in an appendix.