Sax Solo

Concerto pour le Saxophone Si-b, Opus 57

Jean-Baptiste Singelée

Composed:
1858 Grouping:
T + piano Duration:
05:50

Adolphe Sax invented the family of saxophones in the 1840s, showing them oﬀ in exhibitions before patenting them in 1846. Without some music to play, he realized it was going to be hard to get anyone to take any interest in his new instruments and so commissioned his friend Jean-Baptiste Singelée to compose several pieces. Singelée produced several new works for both solo saxophone and groups of saxophones, some of which went on to become 'test pieces' for entry to the first saxophone course at the Conservatoire de Paris.

This concerto in one movement, for Bb tenor saxophone (or Bb soprano), was written just a few years after the saxophone's birth. At the time the saxophone didn't extend to a low Bb or up beyond high Eb, and was missing many of the improvements in keywork that would follow. What would have been a tricky piece in 1858 is therefore very approachable on a modern saxophone.

Whilst not a particularly notable piece in most ways, it's histroical significance as the first saxophone concerto, and as an example of early classical saxophone repertoire make it a worthy piece to learn and perform. This new type-setting includes some corrections and other adjustments. The original 1958 manuscript is available on IMSLP.

See also our version of Singelée's Septieme Solo de Concert for baritone saxophone.

If you enjoyed this piece, have comments or corrections, we'd love to hear from you.

This music is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence.