History  of  the  Saxophone  

Miss  Beck  Period  1  AP  Music  History  

Basic  Facts    

•  This  saxophone  was  invented  by  Belgian  instrument  maker  Adolphe  Saxe  around  1840.  

•  There  are  mulFple  different  instruments  in  the  saxophone  family  but  four  main  ones.  Soprano,  alto,  tenor  and  bass.    

•  The  saxophone  is  used  in  mulFple  seIngs;  concert  bands,  jazz  bands  and  military  bands.    

Early  History  

•  Adolphe  Saxe  invented  the  saxophone  in  1840  and  filed  the  patent  in  1846.    

•  He  originally  invented  the  bari  saxophone  by  puIng  a  bass  clarinet  mouthpiece  on  an  ophicleide.    

•  Saxe’s  invenFon  became  quite  popular  through  it’s  use  in  military  bands.  

Early  History  cont.  

•  Despite  the  instruments  popularity,  the  saxophone  did  not  take  off  in  orchestras.    

•  This  is  due  to  other  instrument  makers  paying  composers  not  to  write  music  for  the  saxophone  

•  Despite  this,  the  saxophone  sFll  became  popular  in  military  bands  and  jazz  bands    

Marcel  Mule  •  Marcel  Mule  was  one  of  the  

prominent  saxophonists  to  promote  building  the  repertoire    

•  He  was  born  in  France  and  during  WW1  joined  France’s  military  band,  which  is  where  his  music  career  took  off.    

•  Mule  took  over  over  as  Professor  of  Saxophone  at  the  Paris  Conservatory  in  1870  and  commissioned  mulFple  works  for  the  saxophone  

Jean-­‐Marie  Londeix  

•  Londeix  was  also  born  in  France  and  studied  at  the  Paris  Conservatory  under  Marcel  Mule  

•  He  won  his  first  internaFonal  compeFFon  when  he  was  just  15.  

•  More  than  100  composiFons  have  been  wriZen  for  him.  

Sigard  Rascher  

•  Rascher  was  born  in  Germany  

•  Rascher  had  a  prominent  career  in  both  Europe  and  the  United  States.    

•  He  is  most  known  for  establishing  the  importance  of  the  alFssimo  register  of  the  saxophone  

Larry  Teal  •  Larry  Teal  actually  started  out  as  

a  denFstry  major.  •  He  joined  the  jazz  band  at  the  

Univ  of  Michigan  and  fell  in  love  with  the  saxophone.  Eventually  gained  his  doctorate  in  Saxophone  Performance  

•  He  eventually  became  the  Professor  of  Saxophone  at  the  University  of  Michigan  –  Ann  Arbor  and  wrote  many  pedagogical  works  for  the  saxophone  

Jazz  and  the  Saxophone  

•  The  saxophone  is  an  important  part  of  the  history  of  the  jazz.    

•  Saxophonists  like  Charlie  Parker,  John  Coltrane,  Coleman  Hawkins  and  others  drove  the  development  of  jazz.    

•  Charlie  Parker  and  his  group  with  Dizzy  Gillespie  for  example,  were  instrumental  in  making  Bebop  a  popular  music  trend.    

Jazz  Cont.  

•  Coleman  Hawkins,  Lester  Young  and  Johnny  Hodges  were  all  prominent  saxophonists  in  the  big  band  era  

•  John  Coltrane  led  the  free  jazz  movement  in  the  1960s.    

The  Saxophone  and  the  Home  

•  In  the  mid  1920s  music  in  the  home  was  very  popular  due  to  player  pianos.  

•  The  C-­‐melody  saxophone,  a  non  transposing  instrument  became  popular  around  this  Fme  

•  It  was  easier  for  people  to  learn  pieces  to  play  with  the  piano  if  they  didn’t  need  to  transpose  

 

Quiz  Break!  

•  Name  one  of  the  prominent  saxophonists  

•  What  is  the  name  of  the  inventor  of  the  saxophone?  

•  What  is  the  non  transposing  saxophone  called?  

Important  Works  

•  Concerto  for  Saxophone  and  Orchestra  –  Alexander  Glazunov  

•  ConcerFna  de  Camera  –  Jaques  Ibert  •  Sonata  for  Saxophone  and  Piano  –  Paul  Creston  

•  Mai  –  Ryo  Noda  •  Ballade  –  Henri  Tomasi    

Homework  

•  Research  your  instrument  and  bring  in  your  favorite  facts.    

References    

Segall,  Michael.  The  Devil’s  Horn.  New  York:  Picador,  2006.