Strong ties: saxophone music by Guillermo Lago

In 2006, at the age of forty-six and without having received any formal training in composition, Dutch saxophonist Willem van Merwijk wrote two tangos for an upcoming concert under the pseudonym, “Guillermo Lago.” This initial foray into composition was an epiphany for van Merwijk, who has continued to compose as “Guillermo Lago” ever since. Van Merwijk’s lifelong interest in architecture, affinity for music with lively rhythms and driving beat, and multifaceted career as a music performer, educator, and arranger not only provided him with the knowledge and skills necessary for composing music but also influenced his compositional language, which is characterized by its sectional organization, vibrant rhythms, and stylistic diversity.

Lago wrote the six movements of the saxophone quartet Ciudades—his most popular work—between 2011 and 2015, and since then it has been performed and recorded by saxophone quartets across the world. However, most saxophonists are unaware of or unfamiliar with the more than thirty additional works in Lago’s catalogue that involve the instrument.

This recording project and accompanying paper serve to promote some of Lago’s lesser-known works for saxophone with the hope that more saxophonists will begin to perform his music. The recording is the first to feature works written exclusively by Lago. The paper, which includes original research collected through conversations and interviews between the author and the composer, is the first publication aside from van Merwijk’s official website to offer information on his biography and compositional language.