Jonathan Newman

Savoy Blue is a sonata in the tradition of the many contemporary “color” pieces I love, and which have been so evocative to me since my days as a student. In three movements, the piece plays with moods of “blue,” both in harmonic language and in style. This work for cello and piano is the third version of a piece originally written in 2010, but the specific sonic colors of the instruments paired with piano in each successive iteration demanded titles with their own vibrant but unique shades of Blue: Milori Blue for euphonium, Deep Sky Blue for viola, and Savoy Blue for cello.