John Mackey's Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Wind Ensemble was written with the intent to become the most difficult concerto for saxophone that only a few artists can perform. Each of the inner movements pays tribute to the complexity and beauty of the instrument through referencing a different piece of the machine. Felt refers to the saxophone's felts, placed under numerous keys, metal refers to the brass of which the instrument is constructed, and wood refers to the reed through which sound is ultimately generated. The Prelude and Finale both use material from the inner movements to connect the entire concerto from start to finish.