the saxophone

The saxophone, also known as saxophone or simply saxophone, 1 is a conical musical instrument, of the family of wind-wood instruments, usually made of brass consisting of a mouthpiece with a simple reed just like the clarinet. It was invented by Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s. The saxophone is commonly associated with popular music, big band music and jazz. The interpreters of the instrument are called saxophonists2 or saxophones, although the latter is used to refer to the wind instrument itself.1 They can be of eight different sizes depending on their tuning: soprano in F or E flat, soprano in C or if flat, contralto or lto in F or E flat, tenor in C or B flat, baritone in F or E flat, low in C or B flat, double bass and subcontracted in C or B flat.3

The origin of the inspiration that led Sax to create the instrument is unknown, but the most widespread theory is that, based on the clarinet, instrument that he played, he began to conceive the idea of building an instrument that had the strength of one of metal and the acoustic qualities of a wooden one, a kind of "metal clarinet". But after an intense work of tests and experiments on modifications to achieve a greater sonority and a more metallic sound, Sax realized that he had built a new instrument: the saxophone.

fuente

¿Who invented the saxophone?

Antoine Joseph Sax (Dinant, November 6, 1814 - Paris, February 7, 1894), better known as Adolphe Sax, was a Belgian musical instrument maker. He is known for having invented the saxophone, an instrument of the family of wind-wood instruments, and whose name comes from his name, "Sax", and from "phono" (which means "sound"); that is, "Sax's sound". In the decade of 1920, the saxophone had a great boom due to the appearance of jazz.

fuente

use of the saxophone

The saxophone gained popularity in the first place in the field for which it was designed: the military band. Although the instrument was ignored by academics in Germany, the French and Belgian military bands took full advantage of the instrument that Sax had expressly designed for them. Most of the French and Belgian military bands incorporate at least a quartet of saxophones that comprise at least one baritone in my ♭, a tenor in itself ♭, a stop in my ♭ and a soprano in itself ♭. These four instruments have proven to be the most popular of all Sax's creations. The rest of Sax's creations, like the contrabass in my ♭ and the bass itself ♭ are usually considered impractical due to their large size and the sopranino in my ♭ insufficiently powerful. British military bands tend to include at least one alto saxophone and another tenor.

Man playing a melody with saxophone in Puebla, Mexico.
More recently, the saxophone has found a place both in the symphonic band and in the big band music, which often requires the use of the baritone in my {flat music}}, the tenor itself and the high in my ♭ . The soprano itself is also used from time to time and is usually played by the first alto saxophonist. The saxophone bass itself is sometimes used in military bands (especially music composed by Percy Grainger) and big band orchestrations, especially the music composed by Stan Kenton for the Mellophonium Orchestra. In the 1920s the bass saxophone was often used in classical jazz recordings, since at that time it was easier to record it than a tuba or a double bass. [Citation needed] It was also used in the original score (and the movie) by Leonard Bernstein West Side Story. After the inclusion of the saxophone in the symphony orchestra, the instrument has increased its popularity. In any of its sizes, it has been considered a useful accompaniment in genres as wide as opera, choral music and chamber music. Numerous musicals include parts for the saxophone, usually doubling another wind-wood or wind-metal instrument. In this way the saxophone serves as a middle point between both families, helping to merge them.

fuente