I remember reading somewhere that Sigurd Rascher (or was it Carina, or both?) would not play a straight soprano. It seems that a lot of other classical players and teachers are ummm... strict (for lack of a better word) as to whether you should play a curved or straight soprano. Why is this? Thanks.
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Carina always played a curvy...most French and American school players use straight horns, with the curved neck becoming more and more popular. I don't think that there's much rhyme or reason to it since a lot of Rascher players use straight horns.
Now, I haven't known many French/American players who have used curvies, but I think that has more to do with the lack of availability of a Selmer-style curved soprano than anything else. The Yani SC-901 hasn't been available that long and Yanis haven't been accepted as classical instruments until very recently (in comparison to Selmer and Yamaha).
Part of it might also have to do with the fact that curved horns have more resistance than the straight ones also, which Rascher players tend to favor.
Now, I haven't known many French/American players who have used curvies, but I think that has more to do with the lack of availability of a Selmer-style curved soprano than anything else. The Yani SC-901 hasn't been available that long and Yanis haven't been accepted as classical instruments until very recently (in comparison to Selmer and Yamaha).
Part of it might also have to do with the fact that curved horns have more resistance than the straight ones also, which Rascher players tend to favor.
As a composer (not a saxophone player) I think there is a definite difference in tone between curved and straight sopranos. A friend of mine who is a free improv player uses both, but he got the curved one because it was easier to travel with when he toured Europe by train. However if I employed him to do work I would always ask if he would use the straight one.
At a British saxophone conference a few years ago there was a straight alto on display and there was also a difference in sound, it was more like a lower pitched soprano saxophone - if that makes sense.
At a British saxophone conference a few years ago there was a straight alto on display and there was also a difference in sound, it was more like a lower pitched soprano saxophone - if that makes sense.
Something else I've noticed not to cross borders often is literature played on each of these. For example, has anyone ever heard Berio's Sequenza played on a curved soprano? Does it work?
I gave the Berio a very honest try on my SC-991, which I think is a wonderful instrument and would recommend to anyone to try. I'm not going to say it's impossible simply because I couldn't execute several sections at a high level, but I'd like to know, too, if anyone has really done this piece on a curved soprano.Achristocrat said:
The problem I had with my Yani soprano is that I found that it really only works with a Rascher-style mouthpiece. I got some beautiful results with a Caravan mpc and a harder reed, but the problem is that it was prohibitively difficult for me to sound bright or brazen. It was all rich, dark, and beautiful all the time. Selmer, Rousseau, and Vandoren mpcs just didn't want to play at all, and those same mouthpieces match up quite well with Selmer and Yamaha straight sopranos.
Angel
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