Original Adolphe Sax saxophone - Septieme Solo de Concert

[loganj7238]

The rich, deep sound that this sax makes gives Morgan Freeman's voice a run for its money.

[megamind11]

at 0:07 what is the name of the saxophone at the right?

[saxtek]

@megamind11

It is an original Adolphe Sax alto made in 1876.

[noodles3132]

where can i get the sheet music? :)

i plan t do this for a solo :P

[saxtek]

@noodles3132

The music is available from Dorn Publications

[fido806]

Finally a recording of this song!  I'm playing it for my first all state solo hopefully all goes well!

[saxtek]

@fido806

Good luck with your solo!

[jim6929]

thanks for your reply - I have a 1920's conn HP bari that I am getting reconditioned and some friends (guitar and bass) who are willing to tune their instruments higher, hopefully it will work!

[jim6929]

Is it in A440 - or a version of High Pitch?

[saxtek]

@jim6929

Early saxophones by Adolphe Sax varied in pitch from a little above A=440 to A=435. Pitch was legally set at A=435 in France in 1859, but it took a few years for instrument manufacturers, including Sax, to bring the pitch of their horns down to the new standard. This baritone saxophone plays comfortably at A=440.

[ernestosaxophone]

Exelente interpretacion .......

[citizengar]

That's great! It must have been a blast to play.

[guzman418]

This is amazing! Where can I find the sheet music for this?

[RatPfink66]

Randy, I enjoy all your recordings, but this may be my favorite yet.

[rileyrod]

I am SO going to find a copy of this piece Somewhere and play it for solo and ensemble!

[saxtek]

@rileyrod

You can get the solo from Dorn Publications.

[wildman00sax]

It sounds so mellow and pure! Great tone for being 150 years old.

[bobburford]

As fascinating as it is beautiful! Bravo!

[Thetenorsaxman95]

Love this!!! How did you acquire these?

[estesoyojajaja]

I would really love to own one. I would give my v******* for one of those. xD

[tfprowl15]

That's an amazingly rare sax and it's a wonder that it is still working 2day

[rf1308]

is it heavier? does it only go to low b? looks like a giant tenor xD

[saxtek]

@rf1308

No, It's much lighter. Low B to high Eb. No side F# or side c makes it look skinny

[rf1308]

@saxtek cool

[T3c4x3r0]

That Bari sounds amazing. Surely a combination of superior instrument and artist. Thank you for sharing.

[PJcam24]

Ah that is SICK!! How much did it cost????

[stjohnofb]

Thanks for all you do, Randy.

[MskariBari]

Thank you so much for this. I LOVE the way this sounds, it truely demonstrates what Adolphe Sax originally had in mind in creating the saxophone. Absolutely gorgeous. If you don't mind me asking...Where did you get your hands on an orginal bari sax?

[saxtek]

@MskariBari

I bought this instrument from Tony Bingham's store in London.

[MskariBari]

@saxtek Are you selling copies of this arrangement? You did a fantastic job!

[MskariBari]

@saxtek Are you selling copies of this arrangement? You did a fantastic job!

[saxtek]

@MskariBari

If you want sax quartets by Singelee, check out Dorn Publications. This one was written for piano and baritone, but they have tons of 19th century sax music, some of it published originally by Adolphe sax.

[unabletosleep]

me too, I'd love to get my hands on the quartet arrangement...

[saxtek]

I did the arrangement myself. it was easier to put together a sax quartet than to find a really good piano accompanist.

[abadcliche]

original Adolphe instruments always sound so much better than anything else. the guy was a true genius. thanks for posting this!

[Gandalfe]

What a classic sound. Kudos!

[mopperson101]

oh and my computer only loads music so i can see the actual video

[mopperson101]

wow this is cool!! thank you for sharing this- its sounds very diffrent from the modern sax :) dose it have an ovtive key? i heard somewhere these older ones dont just asking :)

[saxtek]

It actually has two octave keys, one on the neck and one on the body, like all saxophones, but this pre-1900 saxophone has two thumb keys for the two octave keys. You have to change octave keys between high G and high A

[archlordXd0]

Was the whole quartet playing on Adolphe originals? I just love the way the old bari sounds! Is it more the sax or the wood mouthpiece used to play it?

[saxtek]

@archlordXd0 The tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones are all modern Selmer saxes. It is the combination of both the old wooden mouthpiece and the old 1861 saxophone that makes the sound

[SaxophoneProductions]

wrong, it is the amazing player (s)!

[saxtek]

That's very kind of you. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that the old instruments, with the proper mouthpiece, play very well within the context or their era. They may not be loud, but they can play well, on a very high level, and the sound can help us understand an earlier era.

[Pyrorufus]

If only I could play an old bari and not a crappy yamaha. But alas tis not so. Damn!

[cdl81596]

I thought Sax only made straight instruments.... Thats what i learned in our music textbook

[saxtek]

If you look at the saxophone patent diagram (one of the pictures in this slide show) you'll see that most saxophones were curved, even in the beginning

[goluigi2196]

what is a c melody sax? ive heard of it, but how low or high does it play

nice work!!!

[saxtek]

C melody is a saxophone in the key of C. They are starting to make them again.

[drumstyx6464]

@goluigi2196 Basically around the same pitch as a tenor, but one whole tone higher, as the tenor is in the key of Bb, and C melody is in C. There's also a soprano in the key of C, F mezzo-soprano (one whole tone higher than an alto). There's a whole whack of weird saxophones out there!

[saxtek]

I try to play these old instruments as they originally sounded. With the right mouthpiece, they play very well.

However, the players in 1863 didn't use vibrato, as I have done, out of habit.

[TheMrBaritone]

I'm imagining that it's more like a bass clarinet, eh?

[saxtek]

No, It's definitely a saxophone. If I had to compare it to another woodwind, I'd say that there is a little bassoon in the tone quality.

Most of the difference in sound comes from the old wooden saxophone mouthpiece. Quieter, but with lots of rich overtones.

[stk38349]

Hello Randy,

is it true that the fingering for the Adolphe Saxophones is better "clustered" to fit the natural mechanics of the hands?

I heard this rumor going through a forum and wanted to investigate it myself.

Also this video sounds great.

[saxtek]

Adolphe Sax keywork is not uncomfortable and very solid. Palm keys and side keys are lower, however.

[stk38349]

so you HAVE to stretch your pinkies to get to them?

Okay, cool, so he DID design the saxophone for the player.

Thank you for the info.

[saxtek]

No. Pinky keys are easy to reach. Low B to Low C# is actually easier than on a new horn with rollers, but there is no low Bb to complicate things

[Leebm29]

Randy:That was fabulous as usual. I hope everyone will read the description in the upper right hand corner. 1861 Adolph Sax baritone sax. Wow! Leebm29

[WelcomexToxThexNHK]

Wonderfully composed and beautifully played. Just excellent!

[saxtek]

Thanks. Jean Baptiste Singelee, although he was a violin player, wrote music for saxophone that was relatively easy to play, even on the early instrument with the double octave key.