Abstract
William Albright’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano amply demonstrates the stylistic eclecticism for which he is famous. The four movements exhibit distinct characters and musical languages, including references to compositional practices o f the past, as in the two-part invention o f the first movement and the follia o f the second, and allusions to American popular music, as in the bebop sections o f the finale. This polystylistic compositional approach also invites a variety of analytical techniques, including investigation into form, motivic development, register, texture, and pitch usage. This study, the first of its kind on Albright’s sonata, examines these characteristics in each movement and across the entire work, and offers suggestions for the performers based on the analysis.