Suite sur des thèmes populaires roumains Op. 90

Written in 1956, this suite in five movements has become one of Absil’s most frequently performed chamber works, prized for its formal clarity and the contrasting character of its sections: Allegro vivace, Andante con moto, Scherzo leggiero, Andantino cantabile and Rude.

Originally drawn from Romanian folk melodies, the sources are not quoted verbatim but are re-imagined within Absil’s own modern and contrapuntal language, integrating modal inflections and rhythmic vitality into a sophisticated saxophone ensemble texture.

The piece reflects mid-twentieth-century European interest in national and folk materials, here channelled through Absil’s distinctive voice and his exploration of diverse rhythmic and modal colours for wind chamber forces.