Author: Philharmonia Orchestra (London, UK)
“The saxophone is unusual that it was actually invented… most instruments were tinkered with, but we know that one man, Adolphe Sax, invented the saxophone all on his own”.
Our most requested film of all time: we present our saxophone instrument guide. Simon Haram introduces the unusual history of his instrument, and guides you through the colourful sounds of this rare visitor to the orchestral woodwind section.
CONTENT:
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Why is there no saxophone chair in the orchestra?
00:55 Video summary
01:09 The saxophone in classical music
01:20 Sizes of saxophones
02:06 Is the saxophone a brass or woodwind instrument?
02:17 Parts of the instrument
02:58 Sound creation
03:20 Changing the pitch
03:55 Transposition
04:27 How did Simon get started on the saxophone?
04:45 The history of the saxophone
05:59 Padded keys
06:36 The weight of the instrument
06:58 Similarities between the saxophone and other woodwind instruments
07:18 Articulations
08:15 Dynamics and effects
10:55 The symphonic repertoire
11:11 Orchestral extract: Bizet, L’Arlésienne
12:39 Orchestral extract: Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, The Old Castle
14:12 Orchestral extract: Rachmaninov, Symphonic Dances
16:20 Orchestral extract: Shostakovich, Age of Gold
18:34 Orchestral extract: Ravel, Bolero
19:53 Orchestral extract: Prokofiev, Lieutenant Kijé
20:27 Orchestral extract: Walton, Belshazzar’s Feast
22:16 Orchestral extract: Britten, Sinfonia da Requiem
23:58 Orchestral extract: Milhaud, La creation du monde
26:06 Orchestral extract: Bernstein, West Side Story
27:32 How to get started on the saxophone
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Video source youtube