The Dance of Joy / Ryota Ishikawa [2 Alto Saxophone & Piano]

Composer：Ryota Ishikawa
Duration：3'30"

Difficulty：5

Publisher： Lyricism
Distributor：Golden Hearts Publications / ONSA

Delivery date：Received in our store in about 3-5 business days

This is the opening track from the album “Simple Gifts,” released in 2026. It is performed by Otis Murphy and Haruko Murphy, along with Masaki Tadenuma from Japan. The greatness of these three players… in my opinion, is that their music never loses its sincerity and purity,even with their display of brilliant technique. What should be the first music for such a trio to play? When I thought about this, the idea of superimposing Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desire” over rustic dance music came to my mind.
The two saxophones and piano intersect vigorously in the  / -metered gigue with the sound of playfulness and dance, expressing pure joy. However, life is not all about joy. The dark  harmony and Bach’s melody, which appears suddenly, symbolize the will and the faith of humans to overcome anxiety. Driven by various emotions, we must move forward!
I’ve included more high notes than usual for the virtuoso of altissimo. If you find them too difficult, feel free to play them an octave lower as needed.　

(Ryota Ishikawa)

Instrumentation：
2 Alto Saxophone & Piano