Editing Alto saxophone (section)

== Classical music repertoire ==

The alto saxophone has a large classical solo repertoire that includes solos with [[orchestra]], [[piano]], and [[concert band|wind symphony]].  Two important solo compositions are [[Jacques Ibert]]'s "''[[Concertino da Camera]]''" and [[Alexander Glazunov]]'s "''[[Saxophone Concerto (Glazunov)|Concerto in E Flat major]]''".

The alto saxophone is found in the standard instrumentation of [[concert band]]s and [[saxophone quartet]]s. Alexander Glazunov composed his Saxophone Quartet in B-flat major in 1932.

The alto saxophone is sometimes used in orchestral music. Some of the compositions where it appears are listed below.

*[[Georges Bizet]] features it in the "Intermezzo" and "Minuet" from the second suite of music from ''[[L'Arlésienne (Bizet)|L'Arlésienne]].''
*It was called for by [[Richard Strauss]] in his ''[[Sinfonia Domestica]]'', which includes parts for four saxophones including an alto saxophone in F.
*[[Dmitri Shostakovich]] uses the alto in his ''[[Suite for Variety Orchestra (Shostakovich)|Suite for Variety Orchestra]]'' and it has a prominent solo in the "Waltz No. 2" section. He also includes it in his ''[[Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 1 (Shostakovich)|Suite No. 1]]'' and ''[[Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2 (Shostakovich)|Suite No. 2]].''
*[[Maurice Ravel]] uses the saxophone prominently in his orchestration of [[Modest Moussorgsky]]'s ''[[Pictures at an Exhibition]]'', most notably as the soloist in "Il vecchio castello".
*[[Alban Berg]] uses the saxophone in his late orchestral works, most notably "[[Der Wein]]", ''[[Lulu (opera)|Lulu]]'', and the ''[[Violin Concerto (Berg)|Violin Concerto]].''
*[[Sergei Rachmaninoff]] uses the saxophone in his ''[[Symphonic Dances (Rachmaninoff)|Symphonic Dances]]'' as a soloist in the first movement.
*[[George Gershwin]] includes it in a few pieces; such as ''[[Rhapsody in Blue]]'' and ''[[An American in Paris]].''
*[[Pierre Boulez]] wrote for 2 alto saxes in his composition ''[[Pli selon pli]]'' ("Fold by Fold").
*[[Benjamin Britten]] calls for an alto in his ''[[Sinfonia da Requiem]]'' and ''[[The Prince of the Pagodas]].''
*[[Leonard Bernstein]] includes an alto sax in his ''Symphonic Dances from [[West Side Story]].''
*[[Vincent d'Indy]] enlists two altos in his opera ''[[Fervaal]].''
*[[Darius Milhaud]] writes for an alto in ''[[La Creation du Monde]]'', and places it in the score where one would expect to see a viola.
*[[Allan Pettersson]] makes use of an alto in his ''16th Symphony.''
*[[Krzysztof Penderecki]] scores for two altos in his opera ''[[The Devils of Loudon]]'' ("Die Teufel von Loudon").
*[[Aram Khatchaturian]] includes an alto in his ballet ''[[Gayane (ballet)|Gayane]].''
*[[Poul Ruders]] includes a significant solo for the alto saxophone in his orchestral suite ''Concerto in Pieces.'' 
*[[Eric Coates]] wrote for an alto in his 1936 ''Saxo-Rhapsody''.
*[[Claude Debussy]] features an alto in his ''Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra''.
*[[Paul Creston]] wrote a concerto for the alto, a sonata with piano, and a rapsodie with organ. He also included it in a suite for saxophone quartet.
*[[Ronald Binge]] wrote a concerto for the alto saxophone in E-flat major (1956)
*[[Alan Hovhaness]] includes an alto in his ballet [[Is There Survival]] (also known as [[King Vahaken]]) and as part of incidental music he wrote to accompany the play ''[[The Flowering Peach]]''.
*[[Béla Bartók]] calls for an alto in his ballet [[The Wooden Prince]] (as well as tenor and baritones saxes). 
*[[Michael Tippett]] employs an alto in his 1989 opera [[New Year]] (as well as soprano, tenor and baritone saxes).
*[[Tony Banks (musician)|Tony Banks]] wrote an alto feature for the first track of his 2012 album ''[[Six Pieces for Orchestra]]''.
*[[Igor Stravinsky]] calls for two altos in his [[Ebony Concerto (Stravinsky)|Ebony Concerto]] (as well as two tenors and a baritone).