Double bass saxophone
| Double bass saxophone | |
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| Engl .: Contrabass saxophone, Italian: sassofono contrabbasso | |
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| Double bass saxophone | |
| classification |
Aerophone saxophone |
The double bass saxophone is one of the deepest instruments in the saxophone family . It is very large (twice the tube length and twice the tube diameter compared to the baritone saxophone , 1.9 m high) and heavy (around 20 kg). The basic tuning is in E-flat, an octave below the baritone saxophone.
history
The double bass saxophone was part of the original saxophone family planned by Adolphe Sax and was included in his saxophone patent from 1846. Until 1849, Sax performed saxophones from the double bass saxophone to the sopranino saxophone at exhibitions. The first known use in the orchestra was in Jules Massenet's operas La Vierge from 1879 and Hérodiade from 1881. Patrick Gilmore used a double bass saxophone in his band in 1892, and Evette-Schaeffer made at least a dozen double bass saxophones for American military bands in the early 1920s. Saxophone ensembles were popular at the time, and the double bass saxophone was an eye-catching novelty for those groups who could procure one. With the beginning of the Great Depression , the high demand for saxophones ended and the double bass saxophone disappeared from the public eye.
Modern instruments
In recent years there has been a resurgence in the demand for double bass saxophones. Three manufacturers are again producing double bass saxophones in small numbers: Benedikt Eppelsheim in Munich, Romeo Orsi in Milan and J'Elle Stainer in São Paulo, Brazil.
Sound and use
The sound of the double bass saxophone is highly dependent on the player, mouthpiece and reed. In the middle and upper pitches it sounds warm, full and expressive. Since the lowest notes vibrate very slowly (as is the case with the contrabassoon , for example ) it can be difficult for the listener to perceive individual notes in the lower range of the pitch, instead of a melody a series of rattling notes that can hardly be assigned to a specific pitch perceived. However, if these tones are played at the same time with another instrument in a higher octave range, the tones can be clearly perceived again and have an enormous presence. In some groups, the double bass saxophone plays the same voice as the baritone saxophone, either in the same octave or an octave lower.
Although there are only a few orchestral works for double bass saxophone, the increasing number of double bass saxophonists has led to a growing number of works. It is especially an effective basis for saxophone ensembles. For example, the eminent saxophonist Sigurd Rascher (1907-2001) played the instrument in his saxophone ensemble and it is featured on most of the Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra 's albums . Some modern works for orchestra with double bass saxophone were written by Adam Gilberti .
player
The double bass saxophone was mostly used as a solo instrument in jazz and improvisation music to create a special sound. Size and weight make playing double bass saxophones difficult. With older instruments this is made even more difficult by the high air consumption. Thanks to improvements over time, modern double bass saxophones are hardly any harder to play than other saxophones.
The number of players is growing, the double bass saxophone is used by Anthony Braxton , Paul Cohen, David Brutti, Jay C. Easton, Randy Emerick, Blaise Garza, Marcel W. Helland, Robert J. Verdi, Joseph Donald Baker, Thomas KJ Mejer , Scott Robinson , Klaas Hekman, Daniel Gordon, Daniel Kientzy and Todd A. White. It is also used in some ensembles, including the Raschèr Saxophone Orchestra Lörrach and the Cologne Saxophone Mafia .
Web links
- The Contrabass Saxophone Page about the contrabass saxophone
- Jay C. Easton
- Sound samples on Youtube