3e Chant lyrique pour saxophone alto mi bémol avec accompagnement piano

The Chant Lyrique No. 3 for saxophone and piano was first registered with SACEM on March 13, 1937, but it was likely composed in the early 1930’s. Following the success of her first Chant Lyrique, op. 69 (1932), Fernande Decruck continued to compose several short works for alto saxophone and piano. Several of these compositions are titled “Chant Lyrique” and are some of the first works that she wrote for wind instruments. Her interest in the saxophone is most likely attributed to her husband Maurice, who was a double bassist and saxophone player with the New York Philharmonic during the early 1930’s under Arturo Toscanini's baton. In addition, she knew other classical saxophone performers of the time like François Combelle, solo saxophonist of the Garde Républicaine. The form and style of the third Chant Lyrique is similar to the first. It starts and ends with slow, melodic material, while the middle of the work is interspersed with fast toccata sections that sound similar to the first Chant Lyrique. The middle section also contains cadenza-like episodes for the saxophone. The three existing versions for saxophone have been recorded by Jean-Pierre Baraglioli.

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