Joseph Ascher

2 Dances and Romance

Joseph Ascher (1829-1869) was a Dutch-Jewish composer and pianist who was active in London and Paris for most of his life. Ascher composed about 170 works for piano (also four- and eight-hands) as well as ballads and display pieces for solo singers with piano accompaniment. Dutch arranger and saxophone player Jasmijn de Klerk arranged three dances from his piano works for saxophone ensemble. This arrangement 'Two Dances and Romance' is based on three piano works by Josef Ascher. This arrangement which have been put together into one small suite for saxophone ensemble. The two dances entitled 'Danse Andalouse' and 'Danse Espagnol' have a light and cheerful Spanish touch. The middle movement is a 'Romance' also entitled 'Alice' which mainly became known as the song 'Alice Where Arth Thou'.