-The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Joseph Sax around 1840 in Belgium.
a) Patent was granted in Paris, France (1846)
b) The original patent encompassed 14 instruments in the saxophone family
i) 7 saxophones (sopranino through contrabass) were keyed in Bb and Eb
ii) 7 saxophones (sopranino through contrabass) were keyed in C and F
(including the C Melody sax which became extremely popular in the 1920's)

-Adolphe Sax was a remarkable Belgian instrument builder responsible for numerous additional instruments (mainly in the brass family) and improvements on others (namely the clarinet family).  It is also important to note that Adolphe Sax created the first saxophone class at the Paris Conservatory.  However, the program was short lived and re-emerged when Marcel Mule became Professor of Saxophone during the 1940's.

-The saxophone's earliest usage was in military bands.  The original purpose of the instrument was to boost the sound of the woodwind section and create a bridge between the brass and woodwinds.  The saxophone soon became a distinct addition to bands and composers soon after utilized its potential.

-Hector Berlioz is accredited with being the first composer to write for the saxophone.  He used the bass saxophone in his Chant Sacre and encouraged his contemporaries to write for it.  Unfortunately, few did.  However, early uses of the saxophone in orchestra came about in works by important composers such as Massenet, Bizet, Strauss, Milhaud, Ravel; and later Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Bartok, Webern and Berg.  As a result of the saxophone's late appearance in the history of concert music, it has become known explicitly as a 20th century instrument.

-The saxophone was popular as a "blues" instrument in the USA.  It could be seen  in African-American culture in the south (1910-1930) and later an addition to the "Dixieland Band," early northern "swing" and, later, jazz in Chicago.

-The most famous vaudeville player was Rudy Wiedoeft.  He became extremely popular during the 1920's when the saxophone was a household name and everyone desired to own the instrument.  Wiedoeft's recordings and compositions were examples of the birth of "popular" music in the U.S..  Music of this time utilized techniques and styles that were present in "classical" music, as well as the early roots of jazz.  His blazing technique and liquid tone captivated the hearts of many Americans, thus creating a standard that represented the cutting edge of saxophone playing.

Early American concert players/teachers:

Late 1800's~1940
Elise Hall
H.Bennie Henton
Merle Johnston
Eduard Lefebre

ca. 1930-1970's
Sigurd Rascher
Joseph Allard
Al Galladoro
Vincent Abato
Cecil Leeson
Larry Teal

ca. 1960's-Present
James Stoltie   State University of New York, Potsdam (retired)
Eugene Rousseau   University of Minnesota (formerly of Indiana University)
Frederick Hemke    Northwestern University
Donald Sinta    The University of Michigan

Various American concert players (1970-Present):

Harvey Pittel   University of Texas
John Sampen   Bowling Green State University
Paul Bro   Indiana State University
James Forger   Dean, Michigan State University
Joseph Lulloff   Michigan State University
Laura Hunter   California
Steve Duke   Northern Illinois University
Gary Louie   Peabody Conservatory of Music
Debra Richtmeyer   University of Illinois
Kenneth Radnofsky   New England Conservatory of Music
Lynn Klock   University of Massachusetts, Amherst
James Umble   Youngstown State University
Dale Underwood   George Mason University, US Navy Band (retired)
Clifford Leaman   University of South Carolina
Steve Mauk   Ithaca College
James Houlik   Duquesne University
Steve Jordheim   Lawrence University
Albert Regni   NY Philharmonic, MET Opera Orch.
Taimur Sullivan  New York City, PRISM Quartet
Russell Peterson  Concordia College, MN
Kelland Thomas  University of Arizona
Otis Murphy  Indiana University
Timothy McAllister  State University of New York, Potsdam

Early Important European concert players:

Adolphe Sax  Paris Conservatory
Marcel Mule  Paris Conservatory
Francois Combelle
Jules de Vries
Eduard Lefebre
Sigurd Rascher

Recent European concert players:

Guy Lacour
Daniel Deffayet  Paris Conservatory (retired)
Jean-Marie Londeix  Bourdeaux Conservatory (retired)
Claude Delangle  Paris Conservatory (current)
Marie Bernadette-Charrier  Bourdeaux Conservatory (current)
Arno Bornkamp  Sweelinck Conservatory, Amsterdam
Jean-Yves Fourmeau   France
John Harle   Guildhall School, London
Daniel Kientzy
Jean-Michel Goury  Conservatoire Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris
Marcus Weiss  Basel Conservatory, Switzlerland

Important Saxophone Composers (to name a few)

William Albright
Louis Andriessen
Milton Babbitt
Leslie Bassett
Luciano Berio
Warren Benson
Harrison Birtwistle
William Bolcom
Eugene Bozza
Elliott Carter
Henry Cowell
Paul Creston
George Crumb
Ingolf Dahl
Claude Debussy
Edison Denisov
Alfred Desenclos
Franco Donatoni
Pierre Max Dubois
Alexandre K. Glazunov
Sofia Gubaidulina
John Harbison
Bernard Heiden
Paul Hindemith
Karel Husa
Jacques Ibert
Andre Jolivet
John Anthony Lennon
Frank Martin
Donald Martino
Paule Maurice
Darius Milhaud
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Anton Webern
Charles Wuorinen
Iannis Xenakis....

Important early Jazz Saxophonists:

Sidney Bechet
Benny Carter
John Coltrane
Paul Desmond
Jimmy Dorsey
Stanley Getz
Coleman Hawkins
Johnny Hodges
Lee Konitz
Gerry Mulligan
Charles C. "Bird" Parker
Sonny Rollins
Wayne Shorter
Zoot Sims
Sonny Stitt
Ben Webster
Phil Woods
Lester Young

Recent Jazz/Crossover Artists:

Joe Lovano
Branford Marsalis
Michael Brecker
James Carter
Joshua Redman
Dave Koz
Kenny G
Joe Henderson
Frank Morgan
Bob Berg
Kenny Garrett
Kirk Whalum
Gerald Albright
David Sandborn
Chris Potter
Nick Brignola
 
 
 

Merle Johnston (1897-1978)   A North Country native, having been born and raised in Watertown, NY.    Important influence in early American saxophone pedagogy.   His career took him all over the U.S. and created quite a following including Larry Teal, who later became equally important, and, eventually the first saxophone professor at the University of Michigan.

Marcel Mule (1901- ) French Saxophonist, taught saxophone at the Paris Conservatory from 1941 to 1967. Father of the so-called "French School" of saxophone playing. Numerous works written for him.  Followers included Hemke, Rousseau, Londeix, Deffayet among others.

Sigurd Rascher (1907- ) Born in West Germany and of Scandinavian decent; was playing a three-and-a-half octave range by 1932.  Responsible for numerous works in the repertoire with composers such as Glazunov, Ibert, Martin, Dahl, von Koch, and Hindemith having written for him.  Between 1939 and 1977, he appeared as soloist with most of the prinicipal symphony orchestras in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Central American, and Cuba.

Rudy Wiedoeft (1893-1940) American saxophonist of the 20's was one of few musicians who promoted the use of the saxophone in serious music AND popular music.  Known for his technical mastery and early use of "extended" techniques such as slap-tongue, flutter-tongue, growling, howling, laughing and other various effects.  He spread saxophone music through numerous recordings of his music and other composers of the time.

Elise Hall (1853-1924) First 'promoter' of new music for saxophone, having commissioned numerous composers such as Debussy, d'Indy, Schmitt, and others to write serious concert music for saxophone with orchestra.  Her visibility as a patron of the arts in turn-of-the-century Boston society helped introduce the saxophone to the early American concert culture.  The manuscripts of her commissions reside at the New England Conservatory; however, not all of these works were premiered by her.
 
 

copyright 1998 Timothy McAllister . Excerpted from Tim McAllister's Interlochen Saxophone Workshop Workbook.