Klarinet Archive - Posting 000264.txt from 1998/09

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] C Melody sax
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 16:38:26 -0400

I must quibble with the quibble. Not about Bolero--Dr. Lacy's recollection
squares with mine--but about the C Melody thing.

I have a good friend here in Seattle by the name of Scott Granlund who is a
very fine saxophonist and repair person. He performs on vintage saxophones
exclusively (old Bueschers in the Sigurd Rascher style for soprano & alto,
fine old Conns for tenor and bari). I have heard him play some amazing Rudy
Wiedhoft (sp?) stuff on the C Melody, very much in tune.

Now, a lot of that is due to Scott's talent, of which is has much. He's
pointed out, however, that most of the time when people try and honk away on
the C Melody, they use an alto or tenor mouthpiece--both of which are not
the appropriate size. Not surprisingly, use of the wrong-size mouthpiece,
usually on a horn that has not been professionally adjusted in half a
century, gives less than satisfactory results.

I have played his tweaked-up Conn (which, when shined up, is truly a thing
of beauty). It is a blast and a half! I wonder why the Eb/Bb system we
have prevailed.

Of course, none of this increases the amount of music written for it
(virtually zilch).

kjf

-----Original Message-----
From: Edwin V. Lacy [mailto:el2@-----.edu]
Subject: Re: [kl] C-straight soprano sax

On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Grant Green wrote:

> The soprano in C hasn't been made for years, but was originally intended
> by A. Sax as one of the "orchestral" saxophones (along with the F
> sopranino, F alto, C tenor, etc.). I think Ravel's Bolero actually
> calls for F sopranino, C soprano, and C tenor saxes (although these days
> the parts are all played on the modern Eb and Bb counterparts).

Quite right, with only one "quibble" from me. The first saxophone solo in
Bolero was originally written primarily for the sopranino in F. However,
the last few notes of the solo are below the range of that instrument, so
the solo customarily was completed on the soprano in Bb. However, as all
the notes are fairly accessible on the Bb soprano, and the F sopranino is
so rare (and not much fun to play if you could find one) the solo is now
generally played entirely on the Bb soprano.

The second solo, in all the orchestral parts I have ever seen, is for the
Bb tenor. If it had originally been intended for the orchestral version
of the saxophone, in C, that would have been the C melody sax. But, I
have never heard of it being played on that instrument, and have never
heard any indication that it might have been written by Ravel for anything
other than the Bb tenor. Given the intonation on the C melody saxes I
have seen, I hope no one ever gets the bright idea of having the Ravel
solo played on that instrument.

Ed Lacy
*****************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
*****************************************************************

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