The history of the saxophone and its development as a performance medium in Japan is short when compared with other European countries and the United States. In this short history, the saxophone performance level in Japan has increased dramatically. At the same time, compositions for the saxophone by Japanese composers have gained more popularity in the world as can be seen in the program of the World Saxophone Congress and the North American Saxophone Alliance conference. The saxophone history in Japan, including contributions of Arata Sakaguchi (1910-1997), Ryo Noda (b.1948), and Nobuya Sugawa (b.1961), is discussed in order to understand the increase of performances of pieces for saxophone by Japanese composers. The success of many original compositions, especially those that incorporate the synthesis of Eastern and Western music, is another significant element examined in this document. Yoshimatsu approaches music for classical saxophone as a new genre. He seeks all possible sounds that the saxophone can create - beautiful tone to "noise like" - in his compositions. The blending of other musical styles in one piece is one of Yoshimatsu's compositional styles, which can be observed in Fuzzy Bird Sonata; however, he does not limit himself to a single style. This unique style with some technical challenges attracts saxophonists and audiences. An analysis of Fuzzy Bird Sonata is provided in order to have a better understanding of the piece and to address performance practice issues. Also various interpretations are examined by comparing available recordings of Sugawa, Nicolas Prost, and Rob Buckland.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Anna Marie Wytko / In 1838, Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax created the saxophone. The saxophone was officially patented on June 24, 1846. Sax became the first Professor of Saxophone at the Conservatoire de Paris. This conservatoire has been and continues to be a historically important school of music in Europe. There have been four saxophone professors at the Conservatoire National Supèrieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris since the instrument’s creation. These professors include: Adolphe Sax (1814-1894), Marcel Mule (1901-2001), Daniel Deffayet (1922-2002), and Claude Delangle (born 1957). Each instructor has championed the saxophone to new heights by refining pedagogical approaches and by advocating for the creation of new saxophone compositions. The music examined in this document represents pieces composed for each of the four saxophone professors who have taught at the Conservatoire de Paris. Paul-Agricole Génin’s composition Variations sur un thème espagnol: pour saxophone alto et piano was inspired by Adolphe Sax, Fernande Decruck composed Sonata in C-Sharp for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1943) for Marcel Mule, Ida Gotkovsky wrote Variations pathétiques: pour Saxophone Alto et Piano (1980) for Daniel Deffayet, and Sequenza IX for Alto Saxophone (1980) by Luciano Berio was dedicated to Claude Delangle. All of these pieces demonstrate how composers continually strive to expand the boundaries of the skilled saxophonists’ musical style, technical facility, and overall flexibility on the saxophone. This master’s report, presented as extended program notes, includes biographical information about the composers, a historical and stylistic overview of the selected compositions, and a harmonic and formal analysis of the music with respect to performance considerations.

Master of Music / School of Music, Theatre, and Dance / Anna Marie Wytko / Ingolf Dahl’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra is considered a master concert work in saxophone literature. The work was written for saxophone pioneer Sigurd Rascher who was active in commissioning new works for the instrument. Piet Swerts’ Klonos, composed over 40 years after Dahl’s Concerto, is a much newer composition. The work has gained national recognition as a popular competition piece and is a synthesis of new and old compositional styles. These two works strongly showcase the flexibility and virtuosity capable of the skilled saxophonist. This master’s report, presented as extended program notes, includes biographical information about the composers, a historical and stylistic overview of the selected compositions, and a harmonic and formal analysis of the music with respect to performance considerations.

Syftet med föreliggande arbete är att undersökavad det är som får mig att bli stressad och spänd när jag spelar saxofon, samt hur jag erfar avslappning som metod för att motverka ett spänt saxofonspel. Arbetet genomsyras av följande forskningsfråga: Hur kan avslappning öka kroppslig och mental medvetenhet, samt lösa upp invanda spänningar under saxofonövning? Utifrån ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv har jag genom loggboksanteckningar undersökt både fysiska och mentala upplevelser som framträtt under och efter genomförd avslappning- och saxofonövning. I resultatkapitlet presenteras de fysiska och mentala förutsättningar vilka uppdagats genom avslappning och som direkt påverkat både avslappnings- och saxofonövning. I kapitlet presenteras även den kroppsliga och mentala medvetenhet som gjorts och som bidragit till minskad fysisk- och mental stress. Vidare presenteras hur avslappningen både kort- och långsiktigt förändrat mitt förhållningssätt till både saxofonövning och musicerande. I diskussionskapitlet kopplas resultatet till tidigare forskning samt övrig relevant litteratur. Avslutningsvis presenteras fortsatta forskningsmöjligheter inom föreliggande ämne. / The purpose of this study is to examine determinants of stress and tension in my own saxophone playing. I experience relaxation as a method to counteract practicing saxophone in a tense state. The study is based on the following research question: How can relaxation enhance physical and mental awareness, and solve habitual tension in playing the saxophone? From a phenomenological perspective, I have examined both physical and mental experiences that appeared during and after completed relaxation- and saxophone exercise, through a logbook. Physical and mental states were examined in relation to both my increased abilities of relaxation and my saxophone playing in general. Furthermore, the results section goes further into depth of how an increased awareness concerning bodily and mental experience decreased physical and mental stress. Moreover, the implications of the present study presents how my saxophone practice and musical performances changed in line with the relaxation intervention over time. The results are linked to previous research and other relevant literature in the discussion chapter. Finally, suggestions on further research is presented.

Mitt projekt handlar om att studera hur de olika saxofonstorlekarna samspelar i enensemble. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur jag förändrar mitt saxofonspel närjag byter från barytonsaxofon till sopransaxofon i en saxofonkvartett. Minaforskningsfrågor är: Hur ändrar jag mitt spel och min roll när jag går från att spelabarytonsaxofon till att spela sopransaxofon? Vad beror dessa skillnader på? Ibakgrunden tas begrepp som är viktiga för ämnet upp såsom rytm, intonation,embouchyr, stöd, formella roller och informella roller. Studiens teoretiska utgångspunktutgörs av ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv. I metodkapitlet presenteras de metoder jaganvänt, nämligen videoobservation och loggbok. Slutligen presenteras resultatet av deanalyser som har gjorts av bytet från barytonsaxofon till sopransaxofon. Studien gårigenom alla de förändringar jag har gjort gällande intonation, tempo, rytm, frasering;embouchyr, luft, artikulation; hållning, rörelse, motorik samt ledarskap och roller. / My project is about studying how the different saxophone sizes interact in an ensemble.The purpose of the study is to investigate how I change the way I play the saxophonewhen switching from baritone saxophone to soprano saxophone in a saxophone quartet.My research questions are: How do I change the way I play the saxophone and my role inthe ensemble when I switch from playing baritone saxophone to playing sopranosaxophone? What are these differences due to? In the background chapter, concepts thatare important to the topic are presented such as rhythm, intonation, embouchure,support, formal roles and informal roles. The theoretical foundation of the study is ahermeneutic perspective. The methodology chapter presents the methods I used,namely video observation and logbook. Finally, the results of the analyzes made of theswitch from baritone saxophone to soprano saxophone are presented. The studypresents all the changes I have made regarding intonation, pace, rhythm, phrasing;embouchure, air, articulation; posture, movement, motor skills, leadership and roles.

Good tone is one of an alto saxophone player's greatest assets and consequently deserves high priority in training and pedagogy. The current pedagogical literature gives little attention to tone production on the saxophone. The mouthpiece is the link between the player and the saxophone. This study examined the effect of the normal mouthpiece pitch and the pitch range produced on the saxophone mouthpiece on alto saxophone tone quality . In this experimental study, recordings were made of forty-three student alto saxophone players who performed tasks consisting of three saxophone mouthpiece exercises and four short musical phrases on the saxophone. The tape recordings were used to provide a spectral analysis of the tone samples by Fast Fourier Transform Analysis, and to allow qualitative analysis by five expert judges. The judges used a saxophone listening profile to provide qualitative evaluation of the recordings. Cluster analysis produced three groups of subjects according to combinations of the mouthpiece pitch and range produced. The mean sustained mouthpiece pitch and mouthpiece range of the groups were: Cluster 1 - 790 Hz and 550 cents; Cluster 2 1023 Hz and 150 cents: and Cluster 3 - 820 Hz and 1203 cents. Analysis of variance was used to test for statistically significant differences between the clusters. Discriminant analysis was used to identify other variables which contributed to the formation of the three clusters. The quantitative analysis of both mouthpiece and saxophone tones provided no insight into the spectra of the student subjects. The qualitative analysis using bipolar descriptors provided valid criteria which could be applied consistently for the analysis of student saxophone tone. A Tonal Index was computed from the judges' ratings in order to test for differences in tone between the clusters. Analysis of variance tests showed significant differences in the tone produced by the clusters on both the mouthpiece and the saxophone. The tone produced by Cluster 3 was significantly different to that produced by Clusters 1 and 2 at the p < .05 level. Discriminant analysis identified the use of saxophone tone models (through comparative critical listening) and small group performance as significant predictor variables (at the p < .05 level) in the formation of the clusters. The results of this study suggest that tone production on the alto saxophone is improved through the development of control on the mouthpiece. It was concluded that routine practice with the mouthpiece can serve in the development of a flexible and responsive embouchure and oral cavity and that students need to develop a mental concept of saxophone tone as part of the development of tone production. Also, experience in small group performance needs to be sought and provided for saxophone students. Finally, this study focussed on an area of mouthpiece behaviour which can easily be included into any instructional design and monitored by teachers.

The purpose of this study is to present the biographical data and major accomplishments of craftsman François Louis (b. 1954, Belgium) and offer insight into Louis' creative process as evidenced by his technical theories and musical experiences, in hopes of providing exposure to academics, professionals, and laypersons alike. François Louis is a significant figure in the emerging history of woodwind musical instruments. Despite his late entry into a musical career, Louis quickly caught the attention of world-renown saxophonists with his immaculate and individualistic handmade saxophone mouthpieces. After nearly a decade of mouthpiece production, instrument repair, and saxophone performance, Louis developed a unique ligature and reed to compliment his mouthpieces' features. Louis' invention of the Aulochrome, a polyphonic chromatic double-bodied woodwind instrument, is an instrument of the new millennium. More recently, Louis further improved his ligature and designed a composite material for his hand-finished production mouthpiece, the Spectruoso. Extensive oral history was gathered in interviews with Louis and saxophonists Lovano, Ries, Cisi, and Théberge. Interview details are organized to highlight Louis' biography, inventions, and influence on other artists. Further, the unique capabilities of the Aulochrome are presented through an exploration of Lovano's approach for learning the Aulochrome, as well as a fingering diagram developed by the author.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008. / Accompanying disc is DVD-ROM, and contains sound files for recordings of 2nd and 3rd compositions. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed June 25, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Reproduced from holograph.

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