Bozza, Eugene - Etudes
These virtuosic pieces for solo saxophone have a great melodic thrust and yet contain intricate harmonic information, as in No.1. In a sense they are quite an eclectic selection of neo-classical and baroque influence pieces. The popular 6th and 7th are also published separately as an Improvisation and Caprice. Other etudes are certainly capricious and chase various strands of arpeggios and interesting scale combinations. Where the materialis more relective there are echoes of Debussy and other early twentieth century French composers. Marcel Mule compared the collection to the Paganini Caprices for violin which there is some merit in saying, though Bozza is unlikely ever to attain the same renown. Mule also amusingly notes the pieces' "perilous intervals" which are I suppose not without risk. Conteporary works have outstripped these etudes in difficulty and ambition, but the etudes surely hold their place in the saxophone canon.