Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, was dogged by jealousy from Parisian instrument makers for much of his life due to his broad abilities as an inventor and entrepreneur.
Historical Context
The saxophone quartet was celebrated as 'a new world that opens up for instrumental art' by French critic Léon Escudier in 1844, shortly after Adolphe Sax moved to Paris.
Composition History
Jean-Baptiste Singelée, a composer and contemporary of Adolphe Sax, is considered possibly the earliest composer to realize the potential of the saxophone quartet.
Composer Biography
Will Gregory, composer of 'Hoe Down', is known for his classical training and his work in the pop industry as a member of the award-winning electro-pop duo Goldfrapp.
Historical Context
Marcel Mule, a French saxophonist, re-established the professorship of saxophone at the Paris Conservatoire in 1942, a position that had been disbanded for over seventy years.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Hugo Reinhart's 'Quartet in F minor' deliberately re-imagines earlier Western tonality, using melodic and harmonic gestures from a time before the saxophone was invented, with echoes of Felix Mendelssohn.
Instruments
The saxophone, originally called an 'ophicléide à bec', was first exhibited in 1841 and patented in 1846, quickly gaining success for its unique timbre and expressive capabilities.
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