The
versatile and exciting New Century Saxophone Quartet will soon be
visiting
your school. This study guide is for your use to help your
students
be better prepared for NCSQ’s performance. The following topics
will
be discussed during the performance for your students.
The
Saxophone
The saxophone is made out of brass
with a conical shaped tube. It is considered a woodwind
instrument
by most people because it uses a woodwind shaped mouthpiece and
reed.
The reed is made out of cane and produces the sound. When air is
blown across the reed, the reed vibrates against the mouthpiece to make
the sound. All sound comes from some sort of vibration.
There
are keys up and down the saxophone. The keys are pressed with the
fingers and this allows the pitch to go up and down. Like the
recorder,
when the fingers are pressed down, the pitch goes down.
Conversely,
when you lift your fingers the pitch goes up.
The
Invention of the Saxophone
The saxophone is one of the few instruments
that you can point to an inventor. Most instruments develop and
evolve
over time. Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone around 1840.
Sax was from Belgium, and was well known as an instrument
inventor.
He invented the bass saxophone first because he felt the orchestra
needed
a strong bass instrument. He performed on his newly invented
instrument
for whomever would listen. Many composers of that time (including
the French composer Hector Berlioz) grew to like the instrument, but
they
were reluctant to use it among the already established instrumentation
of the orchestra. Even against this sort of resistance, Sax
continued
to invent more saxophones. The many voices of the saxophone
family
include the contrabass, bass, baritone, tenor, alto, soprano, and
sopranino.
Eventually, Sax was able to secure a contract with the France’s
military
bands to make their instruments, and the saxophone finally had a home
were
it was welcome. Indeed, the saxophone fit in perfectly with the
other
wind instruments in the bands. The saxophone has a blending
quality
that few instruments can equal. It can blend together the older
woodwinds
with the brass instruments of a typical band. It also has the
ability
to blend with the strings of the symphony orchestra.
For
more information about Adolphe
Sax, go to the website:
www.saxgourmet.com/adolph-sax.html
The
Musical Versatility of the Saxophone
The saxophone is mostly known as an
instrument that performs popular music and jazz. You only need to
listen to a radio station for a short period of time and you are
guaranteed
to hear a saxophone. Saxophones are widely used instruments, and
some of our best musicians are saxophone players. Some well known
popular and jazz saxophonists are Sidney Bechet, Johnny Hawkins,
Charlie
Parker, John Coletrain, David Sanborn, Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer,
Clarence
Clemmins, and Chris Potter. The saxophone’s popularity within a
variety
of musical styles is attributed to the instrument’s flexibility.
It has a very wide dynamic range (loud and soft), and can blend with
just
about any instrument. It is also one of the closest acoustical
instruments
to the flexibility of the human voice.
Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone before jazz and popular music had come into existence. He intended the saxophone to be played in the orchestra, and over time composers have been using it more and more. There are over 2,500 orchestral compositions that incorporate the saxophone and many more are written each year. Some of the more important classical composers that have written for the saxophone include Maurice Ravel, Sergie Rachmaninoff, and Leonard Bernstein. Just a few years ago, the New Century Saxophone Quartet premiered New Century Suite for saxophone quartet and orchestra by Peter Schickele. Peter Schickele created the satirical character P.D.Q. Bach.
The
New Century Saxophone Quartet performs
a variety of classical music styles. They are just as comfortable
performing the wonderful fugues of J.S. Bach as the jazz inspired music
of Bob Mintzer. Over 50 composers have written music for
NCSQ.
NCSQ’s performance for your school will include musical styles from the
Baroque period to jazz influenced contemporary musical styles.
What
is a Saxophone Quartet?
The saxophone quartet uses four different
sized saxophones. Like the voices of a choir, the saxophone
quartet
uses a baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones. This is one
of the reasons why it sounds so pleasing; it has four distinct voices,
but they blend perfectly. The baritone saxophone is the lowest
voice,
and is usually responsible for the bass line. The tenor saxophone
is the next largest and provides a strong voice for the middle, as well
as helping with the bass line. The alto saxophone provides a rich
harmony line, and at times has the melody. The soprano saxophone
is the smallest saxophone and usually plays the highest part. All
four saxophones usually share the melody, but the soprano seems to have
it the most.
Johann
Sebastian Bach
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) is one of the
most frequently performed composers of all time. He lived in
Germany
during the Baroque era. He wrote music for the organ, orchestra,
solo instruments, the keyboard, and choir. His music has
beautiful
melodies with interesting counterpoint. (Counterpoint is music with two
or more contrasting lines that are performed simultaneously). His
fugues, however, are generally considered his greatest musical
achievements.
Fugues can be complicated, but here is a simple definition: Fugues are written in a countrapuntal style (counerpoint), generally three or four individual parts, or “voices.” A short theme (the “subject”) is played by one voice, and then imitated by the next voice that enters. The first imitation usually takes on another pitch (the fifth), and may also turn the theme upside down or follows some other type of variation. This process is repeated until all of the voices are playing. What is fun for the listener is to listen to the theme as it is passed from instrument to instrument. Today, the New Century Saxophone Quartet will be performing a few of the fugues (“contrapunti”) from the “Art of Fugue” by J.S. Bach.
For
more information about J.S. Bach
go to this website:
www.jsbach.org/
Is
Classical Music Dead?
This is the question that many young
students are ask. Many students are unaware that there are many
living
composers who write classical music. NCSQ disproves the myth that
classical music is dead every time they take their instruments out of
their
cases. NCSQ plays exciting and vibrant music, and the energy of
that
music rubs off on its audience. Many of the works they perform
have
been written for them by their composer friends. Some of the
music
that NCSQ will perform today will have influences from rock and jazz
musical
styles, and some may sound very classical. NCSQ brings the same
level
of dedication to each of the musical works that we perform, no matter
the
style. As Duke Ellington said, “Music is music.”
The
New Century Saxophone Quartet
The New Century Saxophone Quartet is
a pioneering and versatile group winning enthusiasm for its
performances
of an extraordinary range of musical styles. Over 50 new works
have
been written for and premiered by the New Century Saxophone
Quartet.
The New Century Saxophone Quartet has been heard in concert venues and
on radio and television throughout the Americas and Europe, and they
have
several CDs on the Channel Classics label. NCSQ has performed
twice
for the President at the White House, and they were seen in a Chinese
New
Year broadcast seen by a television audience of over 300 million around
the world.
For
information about New Century Saxophone
Quartet, go to our website:
www.newcenturysax.com/