Description
Foofaraw was written in Spring 1996 for my dear friend Doug Masek who was, at the time, performing with the Capetown Symphony in South Africa. We have been friends since 1970 when we were both professors at the University of Tennessee and subsequently shared many years together in the Los Angeles area orchestras, universities and studios. Doug travels all over the world as a saxophone artist and I wanted to write a virtuoso solo he could play with resident woodwind quintets. It was a surprise to him. Most of the better music schools have faculty woodwind quintets and saxophone professors and Foofaraw is intended for those musicians too. The premier was given November 16, 2000 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (my alma mater) by Keith Johnson and the IUP Faculty Woodwind Quintet.
Foofaraw is in one movement with three main sections: moderate-slow-fast with a recurring fanfare. Harmonies are tonal/modal with occasional dissonant tensions. Rhythm is the driving force in much of my music–especially in this piece. It requires a good sense of time and “feel” for commercial rhythms. It was recorded for Doug’s CD, Saxophone Alternative on Centaur Records. We were very fortunate to have the finest studio woodwind players for this recording–which, by the way, was done without prior rehearsal in one three-hour session: Doug Masek, Soprano Saxophone; Jim Walker, Flute; Phil Ailing, Oboe; Jim Kanter, Clarinet; Rick Todd, Horn; Dave Riddles, Bassoon. The title means “commotion”.
Jim Self
More about Jim and his recordings can be found here:
Basset Hound Music – http://www.bassethoundmusic.com
