A New Saxophone Music Style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A New Saxophone Music Style - Essay Example This "A New Saxophone Music Style" describes the versatility of this instrument. The saxophone acceptation into the classical music is limited, since the orchestras were fully developed before the invention of saxophone. Some pieces by important composers –like Berlioz– were composed for saxophone, but its importance as a jazz instrument is undeniable. For saxophonists, it is important to study both jazz and classical styles, in order to become more versatile performers. By means of the art of improvisation, saxophone was developed as an unbeatable instrument for jazz solos. The versatility of saxophone can establish a remarkable difference between jazz and classical styles. In a concert band or orchestra, the jazz-oriented player may sound too loud and raucous, while the classically-oriented player may be considered rigid in the jazz ensemble. According to Walsh (1-2), classical and jazz styles differentiate in the notation of articulations. Classical music tends to be meticulously notated, and performers should reproduce the articulations shown in the sheet music. â€Å"Notated jazz, on the other hand, often features a string of eighth notes under a long slur or with no markings whatsoever†. In the case of jazz, performers are expected to play the articulation they find stylistically appropriate, rather than just focusing on the page. Other differences in both styles depend on the use of fundamental elements in saxophone playing, e.g. tone colour, vibrato, articulation, accents, scoops, glissandi and ghost notes, among others.