He has written an engaging, informative and oftentimes hilarious account of adolphe saxs incredible creation. The belgian musician escaped his demise on several different occasions, all before designing one of musics most iconic instruments. The real question is why did he think this was necessary. Written 45 years ago with a couple of revisions since, and digitized recently, wally horwoods book will tell you more than you want to know about brass bands, the history of the bass clarinet, the saxhorn and the saxophone than about adolphe sax himself. Adolphe sax invented the saxophone in 1846 and very few of his original instruments still exist. The evolution of musical instruments can be described as a lengthy process involving scores of instrument makers, each building on the efforts of previous technicians. His father charlesjoseph taught him about making instruments. The museum is located on the 2nd floor of the saxquest shop and is free and open to the public.
Adolphe sax patented his invention, the saxophone, in 1846. Since the first saxophone was invented by the belgian instrument maker adolphe sax in the early 1840s, saxophones have been produced in a variety of series distinguished by transpositions within instrument sets and tuning standard. Fifth edition, north american saxophone alliance, 2014, ss, 51 pages. Adolphe sax escaped death multiple timesand then invented. Adolphe sax was born in dinant belgium on november 6, 1814 and was the eldest. Adolphe sax his life, his creative genius, his saxophones, a.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Adolphe studied the flute and clarinet at the brussels conservatory and in 1842. Features an active saxophone forum, buy sell trade your sax, saxophone museum, sax teachers and more. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. Included in the museums collection is a fully restored quartet of original precivil war adolphe sax saxophones soprano, alto, tenor and baritone. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Charlesjoseph sax, were instrument designers themselves, who made several changes to the design of the horn. In the devils horn, michael segell traces the 160year history of the saxophonea horn that created a sound never before heard in nature, and that from the moment it debuted has aroused both positive and negative passions among all who hear it. This web page lists known and reported instruments by adolphe sax as a service to scholars and owners of sax instruments. This is a new and much better printed version of this brief history of adolphe sax and his most famous instrument. Antoinejoseph sax was born on november 6th, 1814 in wallonia, belgium. His father, charles joseph sax, was a great influence on adolphe as he was an instrument designer. The invention of the saxophone by billy collins poetry. While his first name was antoine, he was referred to as adolphe from childhood.
As a child he learned to make instruments in his fathers shop. Segell has spared no expense in tracing the history of the saxophone and has chronicled its years of development with easyreading expertise. The belgian inventor adolphe sax 18141894 was the originator of the saxophone as well as several other musical instruments. Adolphe sax s lack of talent as a financial manager is illustrated by his many bankruptcies, in 1852, 1873 and 1877.
Adolphe sax, was a belgianfrench maker of musical instruments, who invented the saxophone. Antoinejoseph adolphe sax was a belgian inventor and musician who created the. The most complete, illustrated and luxurious book about sax and saxophone. Adolphe sax simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. He was born in france ruled belgium but lived in paris throughout his professional life. As a youth, adolphe sax studied the flute and clarinet at brussels conservatory of music. Found their way into the dictionary by dodd, philip and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. His atelier sold approximately 20,000 instruments between 1843 and 1860. Adolphe sax nearly died so many times starting at an early age, its a wonder we ever got to meet his invention. Plato once said that music gives soul to the universe. Adolphe saxs parents were musical instrument designers and hence he became interested in the vocation from a very early age. Adolphe sax was a 19th century instrument maker who invented the saxophone.
Sax became something of a footnote in history after his creation was almost forgotten after his death, until it was revived by jazz musicians who barely remembered his name. Adolphe sax conceived of two families of saxophone, one for orchestral use and one for military band use. We have to wonder what would adolphe would have made of the saxophones lead role in bringing about a musical revolution. Charlesjoseph sax 1791 1865 was employed by king william i as official instrument maker for the belgian army band. How jules leotard, adolphe sax, roy jacuzzi and co. After adolphes death, the saxophone proceeded to undergo changes, books for the saxophone were published and composersmusicians continued to include.
Bramley books, 1980 adolphe sax, born antoinejoseph, produced the first saxophone in about 1843. If youd like indepth reading on the creation of the saxophone, i heartily recommend adolphe sax 18141894 his life and legacy, by wally horwood. The first saxophone was made of wood the instrument was invented byyou guessed itadolphe sax adolphe sax made this alto saxophone in 1857, long after he had switched to brass. This has always been one of the more curious tidbits of saxophone history. Considering how dramatically narrow a margin adolphe sax escaped death before inventing the saxophone, it makes you wonder if the universe itself was protecting an important part of its very soul. If you were alive in the midnineteenth century and had a particularly keen ear for music, you might have noticed a void. The information can help with dating instruments and identifying models of instrument.
His father was a musical instrument maker and adolphe. The grass grew green over his grave in the summer of 1894, a good quarter of a century before people hailed his invention as the worldwide success it later became. Until his death in 1894, music was the central theme of his life. Adolphe sax was born in dinant belgium on november 6, 1814 and was the eldest son of charlesjoseph sax 17911865, builder of instruments and owner of a factory for wind instruments in brussels. By combining a clarinet mouthpiece with an ophicleide a brass, conebored bugle, he gave birth to the beginning acoustic concepts behind the saxophone. All of us owe a debt to michael segell for his book on the saxophone. Adolphe sax biography, list of adolphe sax inventions. It was worth every penny, and the story is worthy of. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. These prototype saxophones made in this curved style are vanishingly rare there may be only four left. And the characters encountered along the way, both historically and in the contemporary interviews, are fantastic. It includes extensive accounts of the instruments history in jazz, rock and classical music as well as providing practical performance guides.
After adolphes death, the saxophone proceeded to undergo changes, books for the saxophone were published and composersmusicians continued to include the sax in their performances. Adolphe sax, 18141894 by wally horwood, 1980, bramley books edition, in english. List of adolphe sax instruments university of edinburgh. His father, charles was an expert maker of musical instruments. Adolphe timeline 1sax was born on november 6, 1814, in dinant, which was part of france at the time and was then annexed by the netherlands. Adolphe sax was born in dinant in wallonia, belgium. Letters and remembrances of him shaped his personality as intense. Adolphe sax and his saxophone by kochnitzky, leon 1894publication date 1949. Sax was the son of charles joseph sax 17911865, a maker of wind and brass instruments, as well as of pianos, harps, and guitars. Sax patented the saxophone on 28 june 1846, in two groups of seven instruments each. Sax was the oldest of 11 children and had a very accident prone childhood. The saxophone has insinuated itself into virtually every musical idiom that has come along since its birth as well as into music.
Antoinejoseph adolphe sax was born on 6th november, 1814, as the eldest of 11 siblings. He was born on november 6, 1814 in dinant which was then a part of france and later became an independent country, that is belgium. Dubbed the most popular poet in america by bruce weber in the new york times, billy collins is famous for conversational, witty poems that welcome readers with humor but often slip into quirky, tender, or profound observation on the everyday, reading and writing, and poetry. Early on, adolphe sax apprenticed in the instrument manufacturing business under his fathers tutelage. His life and legacy revised edition by horwood, wally isbn.
Adolphe sax, belgianfrench maker of musical instruments and inventor of the saxophone. In 1928 the sax factory was sold to the henri selmer company. Saxophone history from a couple of different perspectives. The history is fascinating, with its ups and downs, its hidden stories most people dont know.
Rather fittingly then the instruments inventor, adolphe sax, was a similarly polarising figure and led a life many would qualify as fulfilling all of the necessary specifications to be. The genesis of the saxophone differs from the usual pattern of instrument building as its creation can be traced to one individual, adolphe sax. Adolphe sax biography, albums, streaming links allmusic. Antoinejoseph known as adolphe sax november 6, 1814 february 4, 1894 was a belgian inventor and musician who played the flute and clarinet. Saxophone museum online saxophone gallery saxquest. The cambridge companion to the saxophone, first published in 1999, tells the story of the saxophone, its history and technical development from adolphe sax who invented it c. The royal appointment lent authority to the sax name and enabled the young adolphe to learn a valuable trade. Adolphe sax alto saxophone appeared bandmaster bandsmen bass clarinet bass saxophone bassoon belgian bell berlioz bore brass band brass instruments british brussels carafa charles sax claimed clarinettist classical saxophone comettant commission compass composer concert conservatoire contest contralto cornet court danceband distin distin. History adolphe sax is the inventor of the saxophone. Saxophone books van cott information services, inc. Hemke, the early history of the saxophone, doctor of musical arts dma dissertation.