[Steve1087]

The alto and soprano saxophones are wonderful orchestral instruments and should be used more than they are. Tenor sax has less of a typically classical tone but good when used in the right context.
The difference between classical and jazz sax is just the player and their approach to the instrument.
Christian Forshaw is a saxophonist/composer and has a beautiful tone on the alto and soprano sax. I've seen him live a couple of times and also saw him on telly at The Proms playing the opening solo in the live premiere of the Glass/Shankar 'Passages'.

 

[Merl]

I cannot stand the sound of saxophones. Just like bagpipes, it's a huge "no" from me.

 

[Larkenfield]

The saxophone… one of the most expressive instruments ever created. No wind instrument is as capable of such great individuality, according to the player, as the saxophone. But I enjoy it more as a jazz rather than as a classical instrument.

 

[fluteman]

A resounding "yes" for me. First, the EMI box set called le saxophone Francais is a longtime favorite of mine and still in print. The title is misleading, as not all the music in it is French, though the Concerto da Camera by Jacques Ibert is, and is one of my favorites. I see the that box is still available. For something more contemporary, I think Michael Torke's saxophone concerto is one of his best works, and great fun as recorded by John Harle, who a great player. Saxophones appear more often in the symphonic literature than you might think, Vaughan Williams' 9th symphony is an excellent example.

 

[crunchynanners]

I absolutely love the saxophone, it can be played in the style of jazz, classical, pop, blues, just about anything. It's such a diverse instrument that is admirable.

 

[TMHeimer]

Sax is fine. I had to like them teaching all those HS jazz bands. I've tinkered around myself on alto here & there, mostly playing jazz/pop stuff. But, I'm one of those stuffy classical clarinet guys.

 

[SONNET CLV]

I just finished listening to Symphony No. 3 by Benjamin Lees. This work (composed in 1968 on a commission from the Detroit Symphony) features a prominent part for Tenor Saxophone, primarily in the Interludes that precede each of the three movements and in the Postlude.

The Lees Symphony No. 3 is my favorite of the several works (including a couple of other symphonies) by Lees that I am familiar with. It was the sax that intrigued me from the start. Lees uses the instrument in a captivating way. According to the sleeve notes (on the vinyl release LS-752 from Louisville Orchestra First Edition Records) "The saxophone functions in a sense as the conscience of the work, the 'modern' instrument which Lees pits 'against the orchestra, a classical instrument."

To those of you who love saxophone, especially in the "classical music" context, I recommend this symphony. To those of you who don't like saxophone in the "classical music" context, I recommend this symphony, which just might change your perspective. In either case, I recommend this symphony. It's a good one, off the beaten path.

 

[Enthalpy]

The saxophone is the first instrument I chose by myself, after adults had decided for me that I would play the violin and then the piano. So yes, I like it.

But the saxophone has strong limits that makes it more difficult to play than apparently, and difficult to write.

It's always loud. A good musician achieves pp, but not détaché at the low notes. Don't pair it with an alto flute: it belongs with the brass, the piccolo, at least the clarinet or the grand piano.

Some saxophonists sound horrible. Some instruments are worse for that. Sax' instruments had a mellow tone, this held until the 1980s when Selmer introduced the Mark VII that squeaks in forte and was universally copied, alas. Only Yamaha offers presently one model with velvety forte sound, else you must look for historical instruments.

Some notes are brilliant and others are muffled, though the musician and the instrument can improve that. The intonation is far from perfect - again with variations, but far worse than the clarinet and the flute.

The range is very limited. Two octaves and a minor sixth are standard. Coming from the violin (4.5 or 5 octaves) that's extremely narrow. If you transpose for the saxophone, you bump all the time at the limits. The instrument has an altissimo range but it uses to sound plain horrible and any technical sequence is very difficult. Worse, the timbre changes much from the first to the second register, so a composer or arranger has <1.5 octave available. This improves if several instrument sizes complement an other: alto+tenor, etc. But a bassoon, a bass clarinet, a cello or a euphonium are far better in that aspect.

The saxophone uses much air. The soprano less so, the baritone more, but it can't play long phrases like the oboe or the clarinet.

 

[Viajero]

"The saxophone uses much air. The soprano less so, the baritone more, but it can't play long phrases like the oboe or the clarinet. " Enthalpy

Hi, Enthalpy,
Have you heard of circular breathing made popular with Jazzers?
Viajero

 

[starthrower]

It's just a piece of metal with some keys. My opinion is based on who's playing it. Kenny G? No! Wayne Shorter? Yes!!!

 

[Manxfeeder]

"The saxophone uses much air. The soprano less so, the baritone more, but it can't play long phrases like the oboe or the clarinet. " Enthalpy

Hi, Enthalpy,
Have you heard of circular breathing made popular with Jazzers?

I remember at a jazz clinic seeing Don Menza play tenor saxophone, and when he needed to circular breathe, he would go all the way down to a low C (or maybe it was a Bb) and do it. It's like he was telling us college kids that circular breathing shouldn't be intimidating. Or maybe he was just showing off. After seeing that, Amy Dickson circular breathing on the Glass concerto with a soprano looks normal.

 

[Heck148]

I remember at a jazz clinic seeing Don Menza play tenor saxophone, and when he needed to circular breathe, he would go all the way down to a low C (or maybe it was a Bb) and do it.

Hmmm...You would have to practice the "mouth" portion of circular breathing to be done in the higher range....I can't imagine you'd have enough air to support the low range on the mouth exhalation.
I can circular breathe, but I've never had to use it....apparently I have enough vital capacity to sustain long notes or phrases - even the end of LvB "Coriolanus" Overture!! circular breathing is tricky, keeping a smooth, uninterrupted sound is not easy.

 

[Viajero]

I remember at a jazz clinic seeing Don Menza play tenor saxophone, and when he needed to circular breathe, he would go all the way down to a low C (or maybe it was a Bb) and do it. It's like he was telling us college kids that circular breathing shouldn't be intimidating. Or maybe he was just showing off. After seeing that, Amy Dickson circular breathing on the Glass concerto with a soprano looks normal.

Hi, Manx,
I was a woodwind player(tenor/alto/flute) from 1964 until 1992 when I retooled as a Classical guitarist. I half-heartedly attempted to learn circular breathing but was always distracted by the notion that it was a gimmick, at best, and lost interest. However, I never learned circular breathing. The bottom line for me was that a woodwind player develops an intuitive sense when reading or improvising music that reflects the natural pacing of the human voice in conversation and this was more important than the notion that you had an unlimited air supply. I still believe this today and in most performances I've seen it really doesn't add any artistic value despite the fact that some greats have learned this technique. Can you imagine listening to a Dexter Gordon ballad or A Chopin Nocturne by Horowitz without breathing?
Viajero

 

[Manxfeeder]

I half-heartedly attempted to learn circular breathing but was always distracted by the notion that it was a gimmick, at best, and lost interest.

First, play something by Dexter Gordon and I'll follow you anywhere.

I understand how breathing makes music sound more human. Igor Stravinsky gave one of the reasons he disliked organs is "the fact that monster never breathes." I also know there are ways to mask your breathing, like Tommy Dorsey famously did.

Back in the day, I learned circular breathing at a week-long clinic put on by Harvey Pittell, and he was teaching classical saxophone techniques. At that time he was ranked Number 2 in the world by the World Saxophone Congress, so I figured if he thought it was important enough to teach us, I should try to learn it.

But I'll admit, I've played with young musicians who treated it like a gimmick or as a way to show their "skill."

 

[Heck148]

First, play something by Dexter Gordon and I'll follow you anywhere.

I understand how breathing makes music sound more human. Igor Stravinsky gave one of the reasons he disliked organs is "the fact that monster never breathes." I also know there are ways to mask your breathing, like Tommy Dorsey famously did.

iirc, Rafael Mendez [trumpet] used circular breathing....I remember a clip of him playing "Flight of the Bumblebee"....no breaks for breath...he had a terrible sound!! but technique to burn....it was pretty amazing...

for me, it was always a challenge to switch from mouth, back to chest exhalation...it was difficult to not get a blip, or drop in the sound when you made the switch...
As I said before, I never had to actually use it in performance...I was always able to sustain on one breath alone....sometimes barely!!

 

[Philidor]

Saxophone - yes or no?

Wrong question ... "Take Five", "Baker Street" and many more .... great!

Bach with saxophones (I have a recording of the "Art of the Fugue" with saxophones) - it is not a "must have" for me, to say the least.

 

[Viajero]

Any Saxers remember Marcel Mule's* exercises? When I studied Classical saxophone to improve my chops, this was one of the first assignments from my excellent teacher at the American Consservatory of Music in Chicago: T.S. To this day, I don't think there is a better pedagogy for fluency developed for advanced players of the saxophone.
Viajero


Marcel Mule

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Marcel_Mule

 

[Viajero]

So, you wonder how those Big Band saxers' get their chops together. Most have studied Mule at some point.
Viajero

 

[Manxfeeder]

Any Saxers remember Marcel Mule's* exercises? When I studied Classical saxophone to improve my chops, this was one of the first assignments from my excellent teacher at the American Consservatory of Music in Chicago: T.S. To this day, I don't think there is a better pedagogy for fluency developed for advanced players of the saxophone.
Viajero

Yep. I need to dig those out again.

 

[Viajero]

A final thought: the most difficult thing I did in my lifelong love of Music was to quit the instrument I loved most in life, the saxophone, because of its unpracticality and lack of opportunities to perform in ensembles where I lived until my retirement. I believe every musician is born with an instrument in his/her soul that calls to them from an early age. However, the Classical guitar has been a great second love and has given me wonderful moments in performance and a renewed love of intimacy with an instrument. However, I still own my vintage 1972 Selmer Mark VI and it is in pristine condition sleeping in its case for what seems an eternity.
Viajero