Composer:	Mike Hall
Instrumentation:	Saxophone quartet (SATB)
Size:	Pages : score 18 pages - 4 parts (SATB) @ 7 pages each
Total Duration:	11’30 mins
Astute code:	am714-74
ISMN:	979 0 57031 103 3

A suite in three movements for saxophone quartet based loosely around some of the mythological exploits of Apollo, the sun god. The piece was inspired by and written for the Apollo saxophone quartet who premiered it in 1991.

Programme note

Movement 1 (The Contest)

Apollo and Pan were great rivals. When King Midas attended a musical contest between the two deities, he offended Apollo by saying that Pan was the better musician. As punishment, Apollo gave Midas the ears of an ass, making the King the laughing stock of all his subjects.

Movement 2 (The Laurel Tree)

Daphne was a mountain nymph who spurned men, but was loved by Apollo. Urged on by Eros, the god of love, Apollo began his pursuit of Daphne. But, to escape him, she prayed to her father, the river Penius, and he turned her into a laurel tree. However, Apollo then decreed that a laurel garland should be the sign of success in the arts!

Movement 3 (Cassandra’s Kiss)

Cassandra was the most beautiful of the daughters of the Trojan king and queen, Priam and Hecuba. Such was her beauty that Apollo fell deeply in love with her and endowed Cassandra with the gift of prophecy. Later, however, she refused his advances. She agreed to give Apollo a single kiss, whereupon he removed the power of belief. Her trances were subsequently regarded as madness.

"This is another valuable addition to the quartet repertoire. The thing that I liked most is how well thought through the piece, programme notes and performance directions are. Structure and essence are necessary for any worthwhile piece of music and Tales of the Sun God ticks both boxes." CASS Magazine

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