Not much time for practicing at the moment and working while listening to King Curtis or Eddie Harris is not productive. So it better be classical and the saxophone should be a perfect instrument for that given its flexibility.
Not sure much validity there is in the story about Sax inventing the worlds must important and ingenious musical instrument to replace the violin in French military orchestras, because the latter whiny and wimping sounding instruments didn't cut it for marching bands. However, inside the concert hall, the saxophone has been a persistent loser. I personally know of two brilliant saxophonist who gave up at supporting themselves bey playing classical saxophone, because you end up impoverished regardless of how brilliant you are - the exception being a few select individuals who obtain a college or conservatory position.
OK, so assuming that my postulate that the saxophone has lost the battle for making it into symphony orchestras etc is correct, why is it that when I listen to most classical saxophone players, I tend to find that they almost all strive for this "perfected pure" tone and violin-like playing style, when they are unlikely to get anywhere with that. It is moreover boring IMO. For all the criticisms of Raaf Hekkema, at least there is some spunk and attitude. I also enjoy Henk van Twilert's Bach sonatas, and interpretations by Berliner saxophone Quartet of classical works. After that, it starts thinning out quickly.
I have been roaming around youtube, but most of it fits the former category. No vibrato whatsoever. The sound and articulation is as clean, neat, and dry-cleaned as the suit the performer is wearing. You can hear the small opening mouthpiece and 5 hardness reed before the performer plays a single note, based on looks and setting. If the saxophone per se has to sound like a violin, I might as well listen to violin or preferably Cello. Perhaps and possibly likely, it is just my inherent ignorance, but someone of you classically educated folks here, please point me to something more gutsy and entertaining to listen to. Ellington nailed it with "Three Suites". There has got to be others with similar imagination. Please give us some classical saxophone with vibrato, bent notes, growl, slap tongue, and split notes. That should leave the violin in the dust.
Thanks!
Not sure much validity there is in the story about Sax inventing the worlds must important and ingenious musical instrument to replace the violin in French military orchestras, because the latter whiny and wimping sounding instruments didn't cut it for marching bands. However, inside the concert hall, the saxophone has been a persistent loser. I personally know of two brilliant saxophonist who gave up at supporting themselves bey playing classical saxophone, because you end up impoverished regardless of how brilliant you are - the exception being a few select individuals who obtain a college or conservatory position.
OK, so assuming that my postulate that the saxophone has lost the battle for making it into symphony orchestras etc is correct, why is it that when I listen to most classical saxophone players, I tend to find that they almost all strive for this "perfected pure" tone and violin-like playing style, when they are unlikely to get anywhere with that. It is moreover boring IMO. For all the criticisms of Raaf Hekkema, at least there is some spunk and attitude. I also enjoy Henk van Twilert's Bach sonatas, and interpretations by Berliner saxophone Quartet of classical works. After that, it starts thinning out quickly.
I have been roaming around youtube, but most of it fits the former category. No vibrato whatsoever. The sound and articulation is as clean, neat, and dry-cleaned as the suit the performer is wearing. You can hear the small opening mouthpiece and 5 hardness reed before the performer plays a single note, based on looks and setting. If the saxophone per se has to sound like a violin, I might as well listen to violin or preferably Cello. Perhaps and possibly likely, it is just my inherent ignorance, but someone of you classically educated folks here, please point me to something more gutsy and entertaining to listen to. Ellington nailed it with "Three Suites". There has got to be others with similar imagination. Please give us some classical saxophone with vibrato, bent notes, growl, slap tongue, and split notes. That should leave the violin in the dust.
Thanks!
I use my Selmer T100 with a Selmer S80 C** mouthpiece and a Legere 3 reed. Not sure it sounds like a tenor now but the community band director is happy with my sound and I guess that is what really matters in that venue.
