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Spanning the River


American Record Guide

American Saxophone Quartet


INFORMATION
American Saxophone Quartet
Albert Regni
Spanning the River [CD]
Gandy Dancer [CD]
El Amor [CD]
02/07/99 Concert
03/05/99 Concert
Larry Combs

American Record Guide - September/October 1999


Spanning the River
Scarlatti, Matthews, Piazzolla, Mintzer
American Saxophone Quartet
Sons of Sound 2-61 minutes

Simply 4 Saxophones
Rameau, Handel, Bartok, Gershwin, others
Adelphi Saxophone Quartet
EMI 72527-64 minutes

Little did Belgian Adolpe Sax dream that his invention of the early 1840s would have such a dramatic impact on the world of music almost a century later. The saxophone, now normally associated with the dance music of the 20s and 30s, had its beginnings as a supplement to the military bands, hut it was praised by none other than Berlioz for its "splendid, one might say priestly calm". The unique, nasal, and metallic timbre of the instrument eventually found its way into a number of compositions from L'Arlesienne of Georges Bizet to the Sinfonia Domestica of Richard Strauss. Later, jazz influences also gave rise to a spate of compositions from the likes of Ravel, Hindemith, Petrassi, Krenek, Stravinsky, and Honegger. Over the years, the instrument has had its champions in talents like Marcel Mule, Eugene Rousseau, and more recently John Harle.

Composers and arrangers have begun to avail themselves of the instrument's singular qualities, increasing the saxophone's repertoire substantially. These discs offer examples of both transcriptions and original compositions that explore the expressive and technical potential of the saxophone. A broader spectrum is offered in the EMI release; the Sons of Sound disc is mainly modern original compositions that fuse the classical and jazz traditions.

Playing, tone production, and sonics on both discs are outstanding. Ensemble is precise, and there is also the admirable sense of give and take that one finds in the finest string quartets. This material is not at the top of my want list, but there is much that the avid student and teacher of the saxophone can learn from these new items.

CARTER

American Record Guide September/October 1999

©1999 American Record Guide. Used by permission.
 

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