“John Adams said he wouldn’t wish [that alto saxophone solo] on anyone, but Timothy McAllister dispatching it with wonderful grace on this world premiere evening.”
“…the world premiere of his new saxophone concerto was, therefore, a very special moment indeed. John Adams’ saxophone concerto is written for classical saxophonist Timothy McAllister. He gave an astonishing performance. Adams has thrown down the gauntlet with a solo line which demands speed, flexibility, musicality and, above all, stamina to keep going with barely a bar’s rest. McAllister delivered, punching out the “nervous bebop” sound (Adams’ description) with manic intensity, like a...
“4 out of 5 stars–the saxophone concerto is playfully smoochy…Adams demonstrates how well he understands the instrument, and McAllister how well he can play it…”
“…jaw-dropping technical display…a well-known master of his instrument.”
“Timothy McAllister delivers unusually pure and sweet tone in the cadenzas of Rush, the alto saxophone concerto. Faletta shows a clear affinity throughout for Fuchs’s warm, spacious, neo-Romantic idiom, and the LSO responds with lush yet pristine playing.”
“Timothy McAllister brings his inimitable, classical sax playing to the stunning piano playing of Liz Ames here, where both minimalism and modernism fill the Latin, jazz, funk and theater nods across these daring 14 tracks…A very unique listen that embraces abstract pop moments as well as rich moments of dramatic swells, McAllister and Ames create a highly atypical version of contemporary classical sounds that requires repeated listens.”
“This second volume in the Project Encore series fulfills its goal, and then some…McAllister and Ames have given performers a terrific new set of encores from which to choose. The collection also affords musicians great tonal latitude in enabling them to send concert-goers home on either a celebratory note with something playful and super-charged or in a reflective state with a setting that’s lyrical and tender.”
