With so many pieces to choose from we've collected together some pieces from our repertoire that share a theme or are connected by their history or geography.
The saxophone is capable of a huge range of style and expression, but sometimes you just need something fast and furious to get the fingers moving or to round out a concert with a bang. Here are a few pieces designed to impress.
Centered around the Basilica of St. Mark's, Venice became a centre of art, architecture, and music somewhat apart from the rest of Italy. The layout of St Mark's encouraged a style of oppositional polyphony with two or more separate choirs answering each other or combining forces for dramatic effect. The following pieces set this style over two quartets (with optional bass):
You might also like Gabrieli's Canzon XV (dectet) or the later Crucifixus (octet) by Antonio Lotti, who was also based at St. Mark's.
No one did more to develop the symphony than Franz Josef Haydn, elevating it from just one style among many to become the greatest symbol of a composer's skill during the romantic era. Haydn's "London Symphonies", composed in preparation for and during two stays in London, represent some of his finest works. Here we present key movements from several of these arranged for sax octet:
First London visit (1791-1792):
Second London visit (1793-1795):
See also the 3rd and 4th movements from Haydn's 88th symphony.
A collection of three rags from the "King of Ragtime" at the height of his reign. Featuring the early but well known and loved "Maple Leaf Rag" (1899), the later and more relaxed "Elite Syncopations" (1902) and revisiting the style of Maple Leaf in the trickier "Gladiolus Rag" (1907). Download the whole collection or each rag individually:
Miscellaneous pieces written and arranged to celebrate Christmas.