Final Boss for Saxophone Quartet (Perusal Score) - Assembly Quartet

The premiere performance of my new saxophone quartet, Final Boss, performed by the Assembly Quartet at the 2023 US Navy Band Saxophone Symposium.
Final Boss is available for purchase (as either SATB or AATB versions) through Murphy Music Press:
www.murphymusicpress.com/prod...
www.murphymusicpress.com/prod...
Or digital downloads through my website:
www.hassmusic.com/chamber/fin...
Program Notes:
Final Boss is a piece I’ve always wanted to write. Depicting an epic boss battle at the end of a video game, this composition for saxophone quartet is a true love letter to video games and their iconic soundtracks. This piece takes inspiration from the soundtracks of well-known series like Final Fantasy, Pokémon, and Castlevania, as well as newer titles like Hollow Knight and Octopath Traveler to construct its musical identity. The music’s constant rhythmic drive, intense and dark harmonies, and unexpected twists and turns will motivate heroes of all kinds to vanquish the final foe standing in their way of victory.
*Please note that there have been some revisions made to the piece since this premiere performance. An updated recording will be uploaded in 2024.
Check out my website for all of your composition needs!
www.hassmusic.com

[@cehass11]

More information and purchase links can be found on my website! www.hassmusic.com/chamber/finalboss/

[@Replytocommentscomment]

Noo I had to go to the bus and couldn't get my music book signed 😭 2/21/24 1:15pm-2:12pm

[@TimothyGeiger-ip2rs]

All your sax quartets are just so much fun to play and listen too!!!

[@cehass11]

Hey thank you so much! I love writing for this instrumentation!

[@criscubes]

Sounds like volcanic ash in the first movement.

[@cehass11]

I just can't help write low fifths in the tenor/bari! 😅 Love that power chord sound.

[@criscubes]

@@cehass11 love listening to it. Awesome music.

[@cehass11]

@@criscubes Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@CadeKuzniaSaxinet]

FINALLY! LOVE YOU CHRIS!

[@daylaspencermusic]

sounds amazing!! absolutely inspiring music as usual 🫶🏾

[@cehass11]

You’re too kind! I really appreciate you Dayla!

[@flutesareterrible]

love this man, huge fan of your stuff. Luminous Sky was just absolutely beautiful

[@cehass11]

Aw thanks so much, I know this is a bit of a departure from Luminous Sky 😅

[@juicymango8400]

Yep. Definitely going in my playlist

[@eternalohmen5440]

YIPPEEEEEEE IVE BEEN WAITING FOR A NEW QUARTET

[@robindor1260]

Hey! i love your music and im happy to say i just ordered Volcanic ash for my S&E Sax Quartet, i look forward to learning and playing it! W composer

[@wilyriley_]

this is literally perfect timing - my band is doing a video-game related (not quite, but close enough) concert, and our quartet is looking for music (also, as a soprano player, I love the soprano part)

[@cehass11]

Wow that’s perfect! Glad I could release this piece just in time. 😂 Let me know how everything goes - do you know what other pieces you’ll be playing in the concert?

[@wilyriley_]

we just got this song!! also, I still have no idea what other pieces the quartet is doing

[@evankershaw2372]

EPIC

[@glowify_yt2927]

Will you ever release volcanic ash full score on your channel? I’d love to see the music and the intensity of it AH

[@cehass11]

I’ve been meaning to, the score is just a little messy and I need to clean it up first. Hopefully I’ll find some time over the summer!

[@glowify_yt2927]

@@cehass11will you be able to release it sometime this month?

[@tamakiamajiki8358]

I’m begging you to write something for flute and or piccolo🙏🙏🙏

[@koseki_stuff]

i swear i heard my band play this during a pep rally...

[@kreator4life]

you sure it wasnt Shout It Out?

[@evankershaw2372]

you might be thinking of “land of a thousand dances;” they sound remarkably similar

[@WitchKing-Of-Angmar]

​@@kreator4life Not even close to similar, well, maybe the trumpet part has some similar characters.

[@kreator4life]

@@WitchKing-Of-Angmar the opening rhythm is kinda similar

[@Thomas_Robinson405]

You should make a clarinet quartet

[@cehass11]

Someday!

[@brianlopez2296]

I love playing this but if alto and bari sax have no flats or sharps in their key signature then shouldn’t the soprano and tenor sax have one flat?

[@dbneptune]

it’s probably in concert pitch

[@dylanrogers32]

there's no key signature, they're still in Bb and Eb they just use accidentals instead of a key sogmature

[@cehass11]

@@dylanrogers32 Yep, Dylan is right it’s still a transposed score, I just modulate so often that I figured no key with accidentals throughout would be easiest.

[@jadengarcia6737]

1:34 what motif is this from? 🤔

[@nathanmoss4464]

Team Rocket theme music????? That's what I hear lol

[@jadengarcia6737]

@@nathanmoss4464 after listening to it I believe you are right, thank you random internet stranger!

[@jamiekarlstevensmusic3361]

This gives off Grant Kirkhope vibes in a veeeery good way. :)

[@cehass11]

Yes! Love to hear it, definitely one of my favs.

[@lightningbang08]

did plexus ever play this?

[@cehass11]

Plexus and their instructor Mark Smith helped me by recording drafts of Final Boss as I was writing it! It was incredibly helpful hearing what the piece sounded like with live musicians. They didn’t end up performing the piece, but Mark Smith’s other quartet (the Orion Quartet) has a recording on KZbin!

[@lightningbang08]

@@cehass11i just wanted to know, mr smith is my teacher as well and my friends are in orion

[@silentplayer6656]

kinda sounds like a piece from octopath

[@herrneumrich6876]

I've been hesitating to write this comment for some time now, but I just couldn't hold back the urge... 1st of all: amazing composition and arrangement. I love it. It's absolutely stunning. 2nd: Why are your soprano and alto so much out of sync at one point? Damn, I love this piece so much but please consider re-uploading it. I know it's a lot of work but it will be so much of a better experience for your listeners. I'm literally on my knees. I beg you. 😢 Edit: It's at the start of part F, fyi

[@cehass11]

Just the beauty of a live performance! I conditioned the ensemble to expect two 8th notes on beat 1, so breaking that pattern caused a bit of confusion. There should be a studio recording in the near future, so I’ll upload that when I have it. Glad you like the piece, despite the hiccups!

[@herrneumrich6876]

@@cehass11 I appreciate it, tho it's reeeeeaaaaally confusing.. And I get the love performance bit, mate. As a multi-instrumentalist, you have to adapt.😅