New work for saxophone and strings
This Need Not Be - A Deepening https://thebrasswhisperer1.bandcamp.com/track/this-need-not-be-a-deepening
My heartfelt thanks to Peter Leung - saxoophone; Veronique Serret - violin; Marianne Yeomans - violas; Anthea Cottee - cellos; Jack Garzonio - audio engineering and mixing.
Reviewer Andre Avenessian had this to say: In "This Need Not Be - A Deepening," composer Michael Hugh Dixon crafts an intricate, immersive soundscape that showcases his profound understanding of microtonality and his ability to transform it into a deeply evocative and unconventional musical experience. Dixon’s fascination with microtonal concepts allows him to explore sonic avenues that many composers may shy away from, but in doing so, he opens up a world that’s as captivating as it is foreign. The music moves through subtle, shifting intervals that seem to warp and dissolve traditional notions of pitch and harmony, creating an atmosphere that feels both alien and intimately familiar. What makes Dixon’s approach so effective is how it bends and stretches tonality without ever feeling disorienting. The microtonal intervals gently push the boundaries of Western classical harmony, revealing a landscape where every note seems to unfold slowly. In this particular composition, the listener is invited to lose themselves in this strange and wondrous terrain, where the linear progressions of traditional tonal music give way to expansive, non-linear exploration. The music doesn’t demand your attention, but it seduces you into surrendering to its hypnotic pull, allowing you to settle into the ebb and flow of its shimmering, quasi-ethereal sound.
The performances themselves are nothing short of accomplished. The musicians handling Dixon's challenging microtonal material are clearly well-versed in the subtlety required to execute such a work. Each note feels deliberate, yet effortlessly rendered, and the articulation is impeccable—nothing is rushed or forced. The instruments seem to breathe together, and each shift in pitch, no matter how small, is treated with respect. This dialogue between parts is further amplified by the musicians’ ability to subtly adjust their tone and dynamics in real-time, matching the demands of the microtonal shifts while maintaining a coherent, unified sound. There’s a fluidity to the way the strings and woodwinds weave in and out of each other’s space—one section softly giving way to the next, while the microtonal intervals between them create a sense of movement rather than static harmony.
