10 Albums Every Classical Saxophonist Should Listen To
Introduction
As a classical saxophone player I find there to be so many different great recordings and interpretations by talented saxophonists around the world. It’s fascinating when analyzing where saxophonists take their phrases and expression as most saxophone players don’t have the same interpretation even though they may be performing the same piece. This list is to serve as a compilation of what I find to be the best classical/contemporary recordings out there. The reason I include contemporary in this article is because most classical saxophone music can easily be associated with the contemporary music genre.
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Disclaimer
The following are not listed in any specific order. This list contains my personal opinion as to what classical saxophonists should take a listen to. Obviously there may be other opinions and there are other great albums but I chose these recordings based on performers, repertoire, and quality of the recordings.
Buku of Horn: Arno B Plays Jacob TV
Dutch Saxophonist Arno Bornkamp, currently the Professor at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, takes on Dutch composer Jacob Ter Veldhuis’ intricate multimeter works in this energetic album. Jacob Ter Veldhuis, otherwise known as Jacob TV is known for his tape music type compositions which mix narration and sound bites into his rhythmically complex and genre bending works.
Why Listen?
This is a great example of crossover music within the instrument’s classical contemporary repertoire. The album itself gives it’s listener an insight on how different genres such as classical, minimalism, jazz, hip-hop, and rock and roll can meld together into one product.
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Brilliance: Ragtime to Modernism
This album, recorded by the Montreal Based Gaulin-Riverin Duo, runs the gamut on classical saxophone repertoire. This album, as the title suggest, presents saxophone repertoire from different scopes of the classical saxophone paradigm.
Why Listen?
Brilliance: Ragtime to Modernism serves as a “greatest hits” of classical saxophone repertoire containing pieces such as Paul Creston’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone, Piet Swerts’ Klonos, and William Albright’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone.
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American Music
Recorded by American Saxophone Legend Donald Sinta, American Music contains great interpretations of well known works like Paul Creston’s Sonata for Saxophone and Piano and Bernhard Heiden’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano. It also features two works by composer Warren Benson.
Why Listen?
Donald Sinta is known for his incredible detail and vocal-like tone. He was also known for working closely with composers, one being Warren Benson. Relationships between performers and composers can give the listener an idea of what the composer wanted in terms of interpretation of the piece.
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Song
Works on this album are performed by Professor of Saxophone at Indiana University, Otis Murphy. Featuring compositions such as David Maslanka’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble and Paul Creston’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Band. This CD gives the listener a vivid example of great works for Saxophone and Band.
Why Listen?
Otis Murphy has one of the best Altissimo registers in the world. Sometimes when listening it’s hard to tell the difference between his regular register and his extended register, which is incredible. This is due to Dr. Murphy’s detail to intonation and his excellent tone throughout the horn.
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Under the Sign of the Sun
Just as lengthy as it’s title, this compilation contains a long list of great compositions by fantastic French Composers. Recorded by French Saxophonist Claude Delangle, this album is colossal in size and energy. Last but not least it gives a great representation of the saxophone’s French Repertoire.
Why Listen?
The album consists of great examples of the saxophone’s French Repertoire which is played by one of the best French saxophonists around. Also the album provides the listener with examples of the saxophone as a soloist with an orchestra.
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Creation
Recorded by Jazz Saxophonist Branford Marsalis, this collection of recordings presents unique interpretations of French Classics like Jacques Ibert’s Concertino Da Camera and Darius Milhaud’s Scaramouche. This album also includes Milhaud’s La Creation Du Monde, which includes a saxophone within it’s orchestration.
Why Listen?
Branford Marsalis is an extremely talented musician and is well versed in both the classical and jazz idioms. Also, it is refreshing for the listener to hear new interpretations of French Repertoire. Finally, Branford Marsalis’ rendition of Scaramouche’s second movement is in my opinion the best interpretation of the movement. He plays this section as if it’s a jazz ballad and does it with beauty and finesse.
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City Noir
This album easily makes the list as it’s one of the most popular saxophone/orchestral albums in the past year. Recent Grammy Winner, City Noir, features Timothy McAllister playing John Adams’ Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra. This juggernaut of a piece has been concertized around the world and is quickly establishing itself as one of the most famous concertos today.
Why Listen?
This album also features John Adams’ City Noir which also features a saxophone soloist within the orchestra. Also John Adams is one of the most famous classical composers currently and nothing sounds like his unique style of composition.
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Brilliance
Recorded by the Ambassador Duo, which is compiled of Dr. Clifford Leaman, Professor of Saxophone at the University of South Carolina, and Pianist Derek J. Parsons, this album is full of classical contemporary greatness. Featuring works like William Bolcom’s Lilith and John Anthony Lennon’s Distances Within Me, this strong compilation of music features works that are not only challenging for the Saxophonist but for the Pianist as well.
Why Listen?
As stated before this album consists of great classical contemporary repertoire which is important as most of the saxophone’s classical repertoire is that of the contemporary genre. It also features a Sonata by Mark Kilstofte which contains extended techniques like Altissimo, Flutter Tonguing, Slap Tonguing, and calls for a guest appearance of a Dr. Beat.
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Intersections
A little bit different from the other albums on this list, Intersections, consists of classical repertoire, and jazz standards. Recorded by Tom Walsh, Professor of Jazz Saxophone at the University of Indiana, this album consists of extraordinary versions of Robert Muczynski’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone, Victor Morosco’s Blue Caprice, and Ryo Noda’s Mai.
Why Listen?
Tom Walsh shows that he is well versed in the genres of classical, jazz, and contemporary music by this phenomenal recording. Dr. Walsh also shows off his Soprano playing chops in Luke Gillespie’s rendition of Stardust and in DERVISH, the saxophone quartet piece on the album.
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Yoshimatsu: Saxophone Concerto’ “Cyber-Bird” / Symphony no. 3
This album makes the list due to its representation of Japanese Saxophone Repertoire. Featuring Takashi Yoshimatsu’s Cyber-Bird Concerto this album is performed by the great Japanese Saxophonist Nobuya Sugawa. This concerto is known for it’s mixture of multiple genres and exciting character that grabs the listener’s attention immediately.
Why Listen?
Nobuya Sugawa is known for his clarity and pristine tone as well as his agile and accurate technique. A truly wonderful player this is an intense and exciting recording that holds the attention of it’s listeners for its 22 minute length.
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New Jersey native Manny Martinez is a recent recipient of a Bachelors of Music in Music Education from The College of New Jersey where he studied saxophone with Kathleen Mitchell. As a saxophonist Manny is mainly a classical based player but does have an avid love of listening to, playing, and studying jazz as well. Manny has held principal positions in the TCNJ Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and has held the Soprano Chair in the TCNJ Saxophone Quartet. In February of 2015 he received the honor of serving as the principal saxophonist of the New Jersey Band Association’s Intercollegiate Wind Ensemble. In Fall of 2015 he will be continuing his studies at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music for a Masters in Saxophone Performance under Marshall Taylor.
March 17, 2016 @ 2:15 pm
Am so glad to be here
March 17, 2016 @ 4:39 pm
Thanks for the list and background information.
spotify:user:adrian1967:playlist:6xgre8ijJgpRRsFTMmJhao
January 5, 2018 @ 12:34 pm
Shotgun – Jr. Walker
January 5, 2018 @ 1:22 pm
Seamus Ronan Zach Thomas Kendra Chaiken
January 5, 2018 @ 3:20 pm
Matthew Gerald Lott
January 5, 2018 @ 8:45 pm
Samantha Sermons
January 5, 2018 @ 9:24 pm
Joseph Trevino
January 6, 2018 @ 6:12 pm
Goio Lima
August 16, 2020 @ 10:41 am
Great article…but there are a lot more. Here is a list of individual tracks that I give my students to develop their ears. Chuck Currie saxnoir.com
SAXOPHONE GREATS
Soprano
1. Eugene Rousseau: Cimarosa Allegro Giusto One of the greatest players and teachers in the world. One of the few musicians left who studied with Marcel Mule, father of the French saxophone school.
2. Branford Marsalis: Ravel Prelude From a famous jazz family, he has recorded two classical discs.
3. Albert Regni: Piazzolla La Evasion The founder/leader of the American Sax Quartet, Regni is principal sax w the NY Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera and NY Ballet Orchestras & professor of saxophone at the College of New Jersey.
Alto
4. Eugene Rousseau Paul Creston Sonata 3rd Movement
5. Johnny Hodges: All Of Me The great lead alto of Duke Ellington’s band for over 50 years. Never played an out of tune note in his life, inimitable warmth and master of glisses and bent notes.
6. Paul Desmond: Take 10 Famous with the Dave Brubeck quartet, one of the greatest gifts for melody in the history of jazz. He characterized his own tone as that of “a dry martini.”
7. Julia Nolan: Paule Maurice Tableaux de Provence 1st Mve. A student of Dr Rousseau’s, one of Canada’s top saxophonists, living in Vancouver.
8. Cannonball Adderley: Nancy With The Laughing Face Bop player who added “soul” to his sound in the 60’s.
9. Art Pepper: Fascinatin’ Rhythm Influenced first by Lester Young and Lee Konitz, then by John Coltrane, one of the most intense soloists of the bop and post-bop schools. Beautiful sound, beautiful conception.
Tenor
10. James Houlik: Morton Gould Diversions Rags and Waltzes A beautiful pure classical Tenor sound from a man who is championing this instrument as a solo voice. He has commissioned over 70 works for the classical tenor.
11.Coleman Hawkins/Ben Webster: You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To.
Two of the seminal jazz tenor players from the ‘30s. Webster’s softer, more airy sound is the first solo. Hawkins has a more driving rhythmic style and slightly harder tone.
12. Dexter Gordon: Smile Combined the sound of Coleman Hawkins with the harmony of Charlie Parker. Had way more technique than he tended to show. Big influence on John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.
13. John Harle Richard Rodney Bennet Concerto for Stan Getz An English classical player who uses jazz inflections and “calls” in this crossover concerto.
14. Stan Getz: O Pato A light toned melodic player who created a craze for the Bossa Nova (new wave) from Brazil in the 60’s.
15. Sonny Rollins: Body and Soul A strong player of long inventive solos, famously retreated to practice from the top of a bridge in the late 50’s to develop his sound and concept. This a capella solo is the kind of thing that can only be pulled off by a master.
Baritone
16/17 Todd Oxford Bach Menuetto 1st Suite for Solo Cello/ Bozza Caprice Possibly the greatest classical Baritone saxophonist. He was in 2nd year university when invited to join the legendary Harvey Pittel sax quartet.
18.Gerry Mulligan: I’ll Be Around The man who brought lightness of tone and subtle melodic nuance to the Jazz baritone.
19. Gary Smulyan: Lush Life Amongst the greatest current jazz bari players. A disciple of the great Pepper Adams, whose seat he inherited in the Village Vanguard Orchestra.
20.Denis Diblasio:September in the Rain Another member of the jazz bari pantheon.
Ensembles
21/22. Gerald Danovitch Sax Quartet: Dubois Quatuor Montreal Classical quartet plays effervescent French literature for this most expressive chamber wind instrumental grouping.
23. New York Saxophone Quartet: Wapango. Written by Cuban sax virtuoso Paquito d’Rivera, this demonstrates the jazz side of saxophone quartets.
24/25. Mi-Bemol Sax Ensemble: Mozart Presto/Brahms Hungarian Dance
This Japanese 18 piece saxophone orchestra demonstrates the delicacy, precision and power of the saxophone & its ability to play convincingly a wide variety of styles of music written long before its invention.
August 24, 2020 @ 6:00 pm
Wow, Chuck, this is an amazing addendum to the list – thanks so much for taking the time to share this!