Symphonic stage makes way for new energy

TWENTY years ago the saxophone was an almost unheard of instrument on the orchestral stage. Jazz band yes, marching band yes, dance band yes, but the 1840s invention by Adolphe Sax was usually seen as rather too brash and modern for a classical ensemble. Debussy had once written a rhapsody for alto saxophone and orchestra, a commission for an amateur woman player in Boston - but he had only sketched the orchestra's part, and it was never performed in his lifetime. Step in John Harle, acknowledged to be the leader in the admittedly rather small elite of English classical saxophonists. Harle might not have completely reversed the classical music world's perceptions of saxophones, but - with at least 17 commissions from top composers, many of his own compositions, and a host of recordings - he has gone further than anyone else to put the sax at the cool end of the symphonic stage. Next weekend Harle will make his debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic - which this season seems to be experimenting with crossover concerts to see if they will pull in the crowds of young people who don't seem to be too excited at the prospect of Tchaikovsky or Beethoven. The concerts on Friday and Saturday include Brazilian composer Hector Villa-Lobos' Fantasia, described by Harle as 'high-energy dance rhythms with soulful melancholia' and Bartok's exuberant Concerto For Orchestra. The highlight will be one of Harle's favourite works for soprano saxophone - one written for him about 10 years ago by British composer Michael Nyman, and called Where The Bee Dances. 'It's dynamic, very rhythmic - and an incredibly virtuosic solo part,' he said. The piece was adapted from part of the film score of Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books. As Harle explained, only a few chords remain from the original work, although, since Nyman is the original 'minimalist' composer, 'a few notes' are often rather critical. 'It changes key, and tempo and intensity far more than any film music can - it's an extraordinarily exciting piece,' he enthused. Nyman and Harle have worked together for many years - ever since they first collaborated on the soundtrack of The Draftsman's Contract in 1982. Through multi-tracking, Harle plays a whole ensemble-worth of saxophones. Harle still often plays with the Michael Nyman band - indeed the last time he was in Hong Kong was to play with the ensemble during the Arts Festival - and is the only other person apart from Nyman who has been able to write music for the band. 'We have a very good working relationship - I've conducted many of his operas and he's written a lot of music for me.' As soloist, Harle is often heavily involved in the process of creating a piece of music with the composer: 'With Michael there's a fair amount of liberty: he can leave whole stretches of music without any notation at all.' Harrison Birtwhistle - another British composer, but one with the reputation of being rather precise - on the other hand is always far more punctilious, the saxophonist said. A piece called Panic written for Harle and premiered to high acclaim on the last night of the Proms in 1995 'was strictly notated. It's a wild piece, but it is entirely his own soundworld: I was kept very separate from that process of composition'. Later this summer, Harle will be premiering a new concerto about the crucifixion of St Paul - an execution that happened upside down, so as not to 'compete' in the list of martyrs with the death of Jesus. The piece, Total Eclipse which has just been written by John Tavener, will be performed in St Paul's Cathedral in London - a dream venue for audiences who like their music in attractive surroundings, but a nightmare venue for musicians, because there is an 11-second echo. The always mathematical process of music making becomes quadratic equations as both Tavener and Harle - who has a long improvisation within the piece - have to be aware of the chords created with the note played now and the one played 11 seconds ago. 'This is quite extreme, although every church involves some maths, based on complex musical number systems,' Harle said. Another technical hitch is that the concert will be performed with the Academy of Ancient Music 'and we only just realised that they play a semi-tone lower than the music is written'. Which means that his entire score has to be transposed - 'and I have to learn the whole damn thing again', he said gloomily. He is however excited by the improvisation, which he refuses to rehearse and which, he said, would mark the first time the composer had ever allowed a musician to improvise in performance. 'I think the piece is bound to be a deeply felt experience. It's in St Paul's, and I will walk about and play from about four different places. I'm bound to be affected by the place and sound.' There was a sudden - and long - clattering of coffee cups in the background. Breakfast? 'The Brodsky Quartet is coming round in 10 minutes: I'm just getting things ready,' he admitted. Harle is used to juggling more than handsets and Nescafe: his life and career have involved an incredible number of collaborations and projects with a wide range of people from Sir Neville Marriner to Sir Paul McCartney. He has written more than 25 concert works and 40 film and TV scores, including the Cannes award-winning film Prick Up Your Ears, about Joe Orton, the playwright bludgeoned to death by his gay lover. Two years ago he wrote an opera called Angel Magick, inspired by alchemical themes, which premiered at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, and four years ago went on a sell-out tour with singer Elvis Costello to perform Terror And Magnificence, which blends medieval French texts with wistful saxophone and African drum beats. The programme included some beautiful settings of Shakespeare songs, written for a 1994 production of Twelfth Night at the Nottingham Playhouse, performed in Costello's husky, unmistakable voice, and already classics in themselves. 'Yeah, I still like that CD. I can still listen to it,' Harle said. 'Most of the others I never do.' Bee And Sax: John Harle And The Hong Kong Philharmonic, conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson. May 5 and 6, 8pm. Tickets $250, $160, $100 and $60 from Urbtix on 2734 9009