Ikuno - Sonata for Saxophone and Piano by Kenichi Ikuno Sekiguchi published on 2023-06-09T04:22:26Z Salvador Flores, soprano saxophone Liz Ames, piano Live recording - 11/21/2022 Britton Recital Hall, Ann Arbor MI The Sonata (2021-2022) was commissioned by Salvador Flores and generously funded by the Diversity and Inclusion Grant of the University of Michigan. It is in four movements. The first is in sonata form with at toccata-like first subject and a dance-like contrasting second subject. The second movement is a slow lyrical dirge that progresses from a plaintive song-like theme to an intense climax, ending with both main themes superimposed on each other and then dissolving into nothingness. The third is a brisk and lighthearted, and yet virtuosic, Scherzo based on a fragment of the Bach harmonization of the “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” chorale. The last movement is a percussive and rhythmically intense Rondó based on an Argentinian Indigenous rhythm. The Sonata was composed with the sound and virtuosity of Salvador Flores in mind — his help on technical aspects and encouragement throughout the whole process has been essential for the fruition of this piece — for which I am indebted and am deeply grateful; the Sonata is dedicated to him and his artistry. Genre Classical