This is the first edition of a newsletter dedicated to the advancement of the saxophone. It will be geared toward the middle and high school band director, specifically the non-woodwind player who may be seeking tips to help their young saxophonists. You may also find that some of the information applies not only to the saxophone but to all woodwinds. If you have found the newsletter, you have already visited my website at www.jaredziegler.com. I am a professional saxophonist and educator with two degrees in music; most recently a master’s degree in saxophone from Northwestern University. I have performed in many mediums from solo playing and chamber music to large ensembles such as big band and wind ensemble. Currently I teach K-8 general music at St. John Vianney School in Brookfield, WI and teach saxophone privately. I am on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin Summer Music Clinic, and have started a summer saxophone workshop that provides students an opportunity to study and perform original solos and quartets.
Solo and Ensemble Suggestions
With the festival season quickly approaching, students will have the responsibility of choosing music to prepare. Having gone through this process myself, I remember the experience as taking shots in the dark. Unless students have been studying privately choosing a solo can be extremely difficult. Solo and Ensemble should be an opportunity for students to learn about and celebrate their instrument, not just learn another piece of music. For this reason, suggest original works whenever possible. While the saxophone is one instrument for which this is not the easiest task, there are a handful of standard pieces to choose from. In class A, the Aria by Eugene Bozza, Chanson et Passepied by Jeanne Rueff, Cinq danses exotiques by Jean Francaix, Sonata by Paul Creston, Duo and Petite Suite by Walter Hartley, and An Abstract by David Ward are all great options. This final work by Ward is a great piece for those students with a contemporary ear. The Concertino da Camera by Jacques Ibert is often a chic pick, but is deceptively difficult and should only be recommended by a private teacher. Class B and C are much thinner, with few pieces written specifically for the instrument. Hopefully a re-evaluation of the solo lists by WSMA in 2007 will improve these classes.
How to Avoid the Dreaded Slap-Tongue
There are many misconceptions about saxophone articulation stemming from perceived similarities between the saxophone and clarinet. When taught how to articulate, students are often told “tip of the tongue on the tip of the reed.†This is either largely incorrect, or just too general to be effective. Below are diagrams of the angle of entry of a saxophone (ex. 1) and clarinet (ex. 2) mouthpiece.
On clarinet the idea of “tip of the tongue on the tip of the reed†has more relevance because the steep angle of entry of the mouthpiece provides something for the tip of the tongue to articulate against. On saxophone however, the opening of the mouthpiece is parallel with the tongue making it difficult to articulate with any sort of consistency or speed. For the saxophone the saying should go something like, “front of the tongue on the edge of the reed.†This will create a clear articulation and prevent the development of a popping “slap-tongue.â€
Three Romances -Schumann/Hemke
Arranged by performer and master teacher Frederick Hemke, this piece is one of the few transcriptions to become a standard in the saxophone repertoire. In fact it is probably performed more often on saxophone than its natural instrument, the oboe.
This lyrical piece, which provides challenges in dynamics, meter, tempo, range, and ensemble, would be a great choice for advanced middle school students and underclassman.
The first romance has an almost polyphonic sound as the melody alternates between registers. The second presents ensemble challenges as the piano accompaniment goes in to a triple feel at letter D. This creates a polymeter effect when combined with the saxophone’s duple melody. The final romance presents more ensemble issues this time dealing with changes in tempo. There are constant ritard’s and a tempo’s that can make this movement cumbersome, but at the same time allowing the student to make decisions with regard to how tempo changes influence phrasing.
Placing the Saxophone Section in Band
When arranging the concert band, placing the saxophone can be a difficult task. One of only two instruments not normally found in the orchestra, the saxophone tends to be nomadic when comparing various wind band set-ups. Many directors like to place principal players in the center of the group. This is especially true in the back row where one can usually find the principal trumpet and trombone paired together; the trumpets taking up one side and the euphoniums and tubas flanking the trombones on the other side. The best spot for the saxophone is in front of the trombones with the principal player seated next to the principal Horn. The altos are often scored with the horns and trumpets making this an ideal position. Looking down the line will find more similarities, the tenors scored with trombone and euphonium and the baritone scored with the low trombones and tubas. This can also open up the possibility of unifying all of the low reeds on that side of the ensemble.
Honky low register? There is another way
In students of all levels, the low register (D down to Bb) of the instrument is the most difficult to master. And, while a student may sound good in the middle and upper registers of the horn, difficulties in the low end may be an indication of more general problems or bad habits. As with any instrument, the lower the note the longer the instrument and the more resistance is created. This only magnifies shortcomings in air support and the coordination involved in articulation. The most important thing to remember is that air makes the reed vibrate, not the tongue. If air flow isn’t sufficient from the very beginning of the note, it will not respond. How many times have we heard students miss a low note, try again and miss again, and then tongue the note as hard a possible just to get a sound out? One way to practice the low register, or any note that is not responding properly, is to take the tongue out of consideration. A player should be able to start any note on the instrument with just air. Start on low E and work chromatically down, playing for two beats and resting for two beats. With consistent practice, air flow will improve and so will low note response. Then adding the tongue back in will return articulation to what it should be; a defined and clear marking of a note.
Sonny Rollins Visits Madison
On October 15th Sonny Rollins visited Madison, performing at the Overture Center. Supported by an outstanding group, the likes of which included the bassist from Sesame Street, and an African drummer whose experience extends back to Dizzy Gillespie. The following is an excerpt from a review by Kevin Lynch of The Capital Times: “Rollins captivated an audience of about 1,450 with a more-than-two-hour concert in which his life journey, and the drama of the last four years, informed a performance tinged with tragedy that ultimately was joyous and celebratory of life. Rollins has outlived most of the great jazz musicians that history will designate his peers by taking care of his body, spirit and musical abilities. He witnessed 9/11 standing six blocks away, outside his Manhattan apartment. He recently lost his wife and longtime manager, Lucille, who helped sustain his career in recent decades. So in this long performance, stringing together tunes, Rollins let his tenor sax say virtually everything. It sounded like an episodic tale with the faintest hint of autobiography. If anything, it moved backward in time, leading almost inevitably to his early hit St. Thomas, the infectiously crowd-pleasing calypso that often ends his concerts.â€
