Montagne Pelée, for solo baritone saxophone with optional Rubens tube

Montagne Pelée was inspired by Kenneth Tse’s interaction with the flames of a Rubens tube built by Dale Stille at the University of Iowa. It is also an echo of the 1902 catastrophic eruption of Mount Pelée in the Island of Martinique. The different parts of the piece trace a story from early fumaroles and eruptions to the pyroclastic surge to the remaining ashes and light.

Video: Saxophonist Kenneth Tse performed the premiere of the piece on October 6, 2025: https://youtu.be/v_wcaV7Htd0

Multiphonic sounds were composed on a Yamaha baritone saxophone, model YBS-62ii. The pitch notation of the multiphonic sounds is approximative; in most cases, only two pitches are written even if more may be heard. The performer may adapt the fingerings if necessary.

Duration: ca. 7-8 minutes