So what types of music do you all play sop for?

[kZepp17]

So far in my saxophone career (well, not career, I'm only a junior in high school), I've played soprano sax for a few jazz band songs and one concert band song. I thoroughly enjoyed both, and I have considered buying one, or at least playing a soprano solo for our solo/ensemble contest in the spring.

Anyways, as I look through these topics, I wonder, what types of music do you play soprano for, most of the time. As a high school student, my exposure to soprano saxophone music is not very impressive.

Do most of you play soprano for classical music, or in a jazz setting? (or perhaps even rock?)

[Dave Dolson]

kZepp17: I've played soprano saxophone as a first-instrument for over 47 years - ALL traditional jazz. (Trad jazz is 1920's music - the original jazz). May I suggest that in your musical development, you look beyond modern players and study the originals for a solid grounding in jazz music.

Try Sidney Bechet's music for starters. Bechet is universally recognized as the FIRST jazz saxophonist (oh I know, there may have been one or two others who played in his era!!) but was equally capable on clarinet (an Albert System at that). Good luck in your education. DAVE

[Razzy]

I'm currently a high school senior. Last year I proved myself to the band directors when I took up soprano sax in February for a musical that debuted in March. Since then I've been practicing the instrument a great deal (alto is my main horn) and have come to "tame the beast", as many refer to it.

This year I am playing soprano sax in a quartet that I formed from players at my high school. We play mostly classical music since the calibur of most jazz music we'd want to play requires heavy improvisation, and I am the only one in the group who really has any improvisational chops. So we agreed to stick to mostly classical music.

In the jazz band (where I am 1st alto) I will be playing soprano on a Maynard Ferguson chard called "Left Bank Express", great tune! And probably some others. In the wind ensemble (where I am also 1st alto), I will be playing soprano on Holst's Second Suite in F and on Johan de Meij's Lord of the Rings Symphony, and perhaps some other works in the future.

I say "will be" because school just started two days ago, and rehearsals haven't gotten into full swing yet. Soprano is a very fun instrument once you've gotten comfortable with the embouchure and range tolerance required!

[madsax]

Mostly I play soprano saxophone for quartet. (Razzy Im kind of in the same situation with the jazz thing) I have been in a couple of pit bands that had a soprano sax part so that was fun. I love the soprano...and it and the alto are my favourite. Oddly enough though...I kinda prefer the soprano.

I have not come across any concert band music with a soprano sax part...Razzy do you know any other songs that require a soprano sax that I could ask my Band Director about? :D

btw...its a little off topic...but Razzy are you going to go to college for music? If so where and why... :S

[Razzy]

Hey madsax, here is some great concert music with Soprano sax part, or an Alto I part that doubles on Soprano throughout:

-Pineapple Poll; based upon music by Arthur Sullivan, arranged by Charles Mackerras, arr. for military band by W.J. Duthoit, a.r.c.m.
-Symphony No. 1 "Lord of the Rings"; composed by Johan de Meij.

I am not sure if all movements of this Symphony contain a soprano sax part. However I am sure that the parts "Journey in the Dark" and "Gollum" contain a part for the instrument. There are many versions to this, among them, those which have eliminated saxophones entirely, and been rescored for orchestral strings and winds, and one for strings only. Only the original wind ensemble version by Meij, unaltered, contains his original saxophone parts.

-Second Suite for Military Band in F major; composed by Gustav Holst.
-Lincolnshire Posy; based upon English folksongs and arranged by Percy Aldridge Grainger for military (wind) band.
-Dreamcatcher; composed by Walter Mays. This particular piece has a very cool soprano sax cadenza. This is probably the most difficult of all pieces listed. It also requires switching between soprano and alto saxes for the first alto player.

This is about all I know of. I'm sure there is much, much more. This is simply the music I am familiar with or will be playing in the near future.

I am planning to study music at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. There I intend to attain my Bachelor's in Jazz Studies and my Masters in Music Education (as double major). This school is unique in that those degrees can be attained in a total of 5 years. I really love the faculty there and the other students I would possibly be studying with. In fact, I will very shortly be applying for the first audition date at the school (December 7th I believe).

Good luck with the soprano!

[Adam-]

Hello

I play classical music on my soprano. Mostly soprano solo with piano, or just soprano. I also play soprano in a Fanfare-band, but I don't think you heave the same sort of fanfare-band in the USA as we have in Holland.

About the Lord of the rings: It is true that only part 3 and 4 have a soprano part. But the soprano solo in part 3 is really cool. I don't know anything about arrangements of this work. I didn't even know that it was known in America.

Good luck with your soprano!

[Razzy]

I'm fairly sure that's correct. The first alto simply doubles soprano for those movements.