View Full Version : Happy Birthday Adolphe Sax!
larry
11-06-2003, 04:31 PM
November 6, 1814!
paulwl
11-06-2003, 05:08 PM
Would you believe...just this morning I was cleaning out the spare room at my parents' place and came across a lovely old framed print of a street scene. Half-timber stone buildings, a stone-arched bridge, earthtones and deep greens.
We'd had it forever (grandma got it on a trip to Paris in 1929). But only now did I turn it over and notice the penciled inscription on the back...
"Environs de Dinant." That was his home town.
Now what prompted me to turn over that print? Today of all days?
Bon anniversaire, Maître Sax!
Tonight I'll hoist a glass of Bordeaux in your memory.
http://www.saxophon-ensemble.de/pics/Adolphe-Sax.jpg
sattva
11-06-2003, 05:24 PM
Adolphe Sax was a Belgian by birth. My mother's family are Belgian. My grandmother (born 1899) told me a story about her great uncle, who was a diplomat in what was then the Belgian Congo in Africa. Apparently he was the first person in that region of Belgium who owned a new-fangled instrument called the "Saxophone".
I believe Adolphe took ot the patent for his latest invention in 1846, and had produced in his factory 20,000 instruments (not all saxes) by 1863. We do not hear of pre-1900 saxes often on this forum - perhaps there is a new thread here waiting to be opened.
saxlife
11-06-2003, 05:51 PM
We can't forget Adolphe's other invention, the Saxhorn. I'm fortunate to own one, not a Euphonium which is sometimes erroneously called a saxhorn. But, a genuine over-the-shoulder alto saxhorn with three rotary valves. It is marked 'FMS 1861' and may have been used in the Civil War, although I can't varify that. They were popular during the 1800's with marching bands. They also were available as tenors,baritones,basses,and contrabasses. Then in the late 1800's they were phased out of military and civilian bands and new instruments were brought in to replace the saxhorn. Instruments such as the saxophone,trumpet,trombone,baritone horns, euphoniums,and tubas. I believe that John Philip Sousa was the main influence for the change. Anywho, happy Birthday Adolphe 'Alphonse' Sax.
Grumps
11-06-2003, 06:22 PM
Funny.... but he's a Scorpio too! I wonder if Tim Price ever did a session with him.... :o Just kidding Tim. I'm a Scorpio too.
gyrofrog.com
11-06-2003, 07:15 PM
OK. That explains why my "Simpsons" calendar says that today is "Saxophone Day."
Harri Rautiainen
11-06-2003, 09:38 PM
Funny.... but he's a Scorpio too! I wonder if Tim Price ever did a session with him.... :o Just kidding Tim. I'm a Scorpio too.Adolphe's birthday and Tim's birthday seem to be widely recognized! :wink:
Tim Price
11-07-2003, 12:28 AM
Another Scorpio YIKES!!
Wonder what Mr Sax would be into these days?
Harri- what was the name of the book written about Mr Sax??
Is it still in print? Or for sale?
Thank god for Mr Sax...cuz I don't have any idea what the heck I'd do
if I wasn't a saxophonist.
I 'd love to find that book.
Harri Rautiainen
11-07-2003, 12:57 AM
...Harri- what was the name of the book written about Mr Sax??
Is it still in print? Or for sale?
Tim, I guess what you are asking is:
ADOLPHE SAX AND HIS SAXOPHONE
by Léon Kochnitzky
Difficult to find in net bookstores. NASA is selling it:Fourth Edition -- Newly Revised and Updated with special annotations by Sigurd M. Rascher
A basic, standard reference about the saxophone and its inventor
$ 8.00 per copy NASA members
$ 9.00 per copy non-membersThere are some copies on the WWW. I do not know how legal they are:
http://www.saxcollector.com/adolphesax.html
Tim Price
11-07-2003, 01:17 AM
Thank you Harri.
Thats the one.ADOLPHE SAX AND HIS SAXOPHONE
by Léon Kochnitzky
I got to get it. Thanks for the lead :wink:
sattva
11-07-2003, 03:19 PM
Why not the book written by paulwl above, our own forum member:
"Celebrating the Saxophone"
I have not read it but it has some very good reviews. I hope you do not mind, Paul: www.lindemeyer.com/saxbook/saxbook.html
Grumps
11-07-2003, 03:45 PM
No sax player's coffee table should be without Paul's book.
What’s going on? Are Scorpios more likely to pick-up the saxophone??
First find-out about Tim, then Adolfe Sax, Grumps… all Scorpios! In another thread Tim has enumerated a number of sax players he knows that are Scorpios too. I’m a Scorpio as well. 3 very close friends of mine are Scorpios and guess what? They play saxophone as well… isn’t this strange?? Maybe we should have a Poll.
Polls can be quite distracting-depending on the wording.
Let's get back to celebrating the saxophone!
Tim Price
11-09-2003, 11:02 PM
I’m a Scorpio as well.
btw- KIM......happy birthday to you as well 8)
The best to you and your talents :wink:
Thanks Tim :D
MS: I'm not sure what you mean by that but anyway, I don't think that the the poll feature in this forum allows more than 5 or 6 voting options.
Kim, if your poll has to do with "how many saxophone players are Scorpios", that at face value would seem to be quite straight foreword.
The choice to poll or not to poll is certainly yours, and I'm sure you'll do what you feel most comfortable for you.
For me, I'm most comfortable trying to contribute to the saxophone playing aspect of SOTW. I'm a terrible cook and worse at politics
Good luck and have fun!
michaelbaird
11-10-2003, 05:18 AM
Thank you for inventing one the greatest musical instruments of all time. You have given me a great gift!
Gayle Fredenburgh
11-10-2003, 07:06 PM
Tim, you might also look for Wally Harwood's biography entitled Adolphe Sax 1814-1894 - his life and legacy. Its a hardcover and there's a little more to it than the Kochnitsky. My copy is by Egon Publishers out of England.
Tim Price
11-10-2003, 09:58 PM
Gayle..Thank you so much!! I never heard of that book.
Thats the nice thing about SOTW.
I appreciate your help. These kind of books and info fascinate me a lot.
I'm going to look for it ASAP! :)
paulwl
11-10-2003, 11:07 PM
What’s going on? Are Scorpios more likely to pick-up the saxophone??
First find-out about Tim, then Adolfe Sax, Grumps… all Scorpios! In another thread Tim has enumerated a number of sax players he knows that are Scorpios too. I’m a Scorpio as well. 3 very close friends of mine are Scorpios and guess what? They play saxophone as well…
MEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOO!!!1111!!!!! :D
paulwl
11-10-2003, 11:09 PM
Why not the book written by paulwl above, our own forum member:
"Celebrating the Saxophone"
I have not read it but it has some very good reviews. I hope you do not mind, Paul: www.lindemeyer.com/saxbook/saxbook.html
Thanks sattva! I don't mind a bit...
Tim Price
11-10-2003, 11:18 PM
hey paul- i shoulda known :wink:
happy birthday to you.may your life be filled with good gigs and health.
and..great reeds :lol:
paul- i just was looking at that bilger pic...with the straight alto.
ever hear his disc of the legit music on straight alto??? its really excellent music. i'm sure dorene has copys left. that is a great pic.
paulwl
11-10-2003, 11:20 PM
What’s going on? Are Scorpios more likely to pick-up the saxophone??
First find-out about Tim, then Adolfe Sax, Grumps… all Scorpios! In another thread Tim has enumerated a number of sax players he knows that are Scorpios too. I’m a Scorpio as well. 3 very close friends of mine are Scorpios and guess what? They play saxophone as well…
MEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOO!!!1111!!!!! :D
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