Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Band

Ronald Binge was born on 15 July 1910 at Derby, England. He studied harmony and counterpoint on his own and tried his hand at arranging and composing during the many years he worked as a pianist and musician in movie theatres. In 1934 he met the conductor of Italian descent Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (1905-1980) and started writing numerous arrangements for the symphony orchestra of this very popular conductor.

In fact, Binge is the inventor of the famous 'Mantovani Sound' (with echo effects by the strings) which charmed and pleased millions of music lovers and television spectators all over Europe in the fifties and sixties. In 1952 he scored a hit with ' Elisabethan Serenade'. Binge also wrote classical music and even a series of wind band compositions such as the most popular 'Cornet Carillon'. Ronald Binge died on 6 September 1979 at Ringwood. He dedicated his Concerto for Alto Saxophone (1956) to the famous American saxophone virtuoso Sigurd Rascher (1907-2001), the pioneer of the classical saxophone.

At the request of the Dutch wind band publisher Pieter Jan Molenaar, Binge wrote a version for symphonic band. Unfortunately both the editor and the composer died some time later in 1979 and could not attend the premiere of this version by the Dutch Royal Marine Band conducted by Jaap Koops and with Johan Perik as soloist. The concerto consists of three parts. In the dynamic and quick 'Allegro Spirituoso' one can hear the melody alternately with the soloist and the accompanying band.

The second part is more lyrical, though passionate as well and it is better known as it is often performed on itself under its title 'Romance'. The final part 'Rondo Allegro Giocoso' is written in rondo form as its title indicates and it allows the soloist to demonstrate his virtuosity in a very lively dialogue with he band.