Legacy of the Four Winds- Bb Saxophone Unaccompanied

for unaccompanied B^b saxophone solo

Legacy of the Four Winds was composed during the fall of 1979 for James Cunningham. The "four winds" to which the title refers are the four political philosophies which are associated with the personages whose names appear at the beginning of each piece. The first deals with the politics of hate and utilizes rhythmic patterns reminiscent of the vitriolic accentuation of Hitler's oratory. The second piece is cooly lyrical throughout, reflecting the rational basis of Aristotle's thought. The politics of revolution is the subject of the third piece which begins with a call to revolution and continues with ever-increasing melodic surges. The final piece presents a philosophy of non-violence. It is based upon the melody of "We Shall Overcome" which is embellished in the manner of a paraphrased cantus firmus.