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Forum » High School Saxophone » Hardest Piece


by astrocarro
(5 posts)
19 years ago

Hardest Piece

Like the topic says: the hardest piece for saxophone. I think from experience, I would say The Dahl (Sonata and Conecerto), Denisov(Sonata, I think), or Caprice en forme de Valse.

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  2. by PsuSax
    (25 posts)
    19 years ago

    Re: Hardest Piece

    2nd Movement of the Creston Sonata. I know....right now your thinking I'm a moron. Think again. Within 4 bars you can tell if somebody has their act together or not. There are a million people that can play this. There are only a handfull that can play this and make is sound amazing.

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  3. by Saxophonist0035
    (2 posts)
    19 years ago

    Re: Hardest Piece

    WOW. So many harder pieces out there. For example, the Lauba etudes, Steady Study on the Boogie, and a lot of others. Frankly, there is a whole other level of music beyond the Dahl and Denisov. And II of Creston. Wow man. I agree you can tell a lot from that, but still. A lot of people can play that well, try making Cowell's Air and Scherzo sound like Gary Louie does. There are so many other difficult pieces, broaden your horizon.

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    1. by PsuSax
      (25 posts)
      19 years ago

      Re: Hardest Piece

      Ii've played or am currently playing all of that other stuff, including Air and Scherzo. I can't make it sound as good as him and I have only heard one person that can....HIM. My horizons are quite broad, I'm simply trying to provide a different angle than the typical high-school thought of 5,00,000 notes as fast and high as possible equals a hard piece.

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      1. by SaxMan
        (559 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        thank you - all these dum asses think that all they have to is play the notes right - incidentally, mule is spinning in his grave every time some one like those 2 or three play a piece - I bet minty plays the tomassi EXACTLY as it is written, quite literally.

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      2. by saxophonist2003
        (2 posts)
        18 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        broadening horizons is one thing, I'm all for that. But to say that Creston Sonata mvmII is the hardest piece out there, while you say your playing Air and Scherzo, wow. Ummmmmmm. You sound like youv'e got your head up creston's ass. And of course only Gary can sound like that, but its a goal to strive for, just like you probably have an ideal sound when you play the creston. I'm just saying I think the model sound for the creston is much easier achieved than that of Air and Scherzo. Not to say that the Creston is easy, by any means. To play that piece well is difficult, but you said it yourself, your'e broadening your horizons, so get off the creston. It's a great piece, but come on man, this post is about the hardest piece ever. Creston should probably not be mentioned. sry, email me if you would like to discuss this more. -Jon [email protected]

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    2. by DefiniSax
      (10 posts)
      19 years ago

      Re: Hardest Piece

      Those songs are definitely not the hardest pieces written for saxophone, they are hard but not the hardest. There are dozens of harder songs, even Maslanka.

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      1. by mintyfreshjam
        (48 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        HA. Pal, you don't know what you're talking about. Definisax is right, I hear about 12 harder pieces in my Saxophone Departmental meeting every week.

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      2. by mintyfreshjam
        (48 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        I've heard it twice. Try playing Die Mude, it's a new piece but it's lightyears ahead of Dahl. Tomasi's Ballade... harder. Until you're in college, don't say that something's hard. You have yet to see hard.

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      3. by mintyfreshjam
        (48 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        Actually, double tounging is just a trick. It sounds bad because you can't hear all the notes as clear as a single tounge. Do your double tounging at Michigan, not here at NT. It's all single tounge.

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      4. by mintyfreshjam
        (48 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        Or I just don't like the sound and don't want to waste my time on it. I don't have to justify to you why I don't have a class right now. That's not the subject at hand. More importantly, if you're so good, why aren't you out working?

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      5. by sax_maniac
        (984 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        GAWOOOOOSHHHHH!!!!!!!

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      6. by johnsonfromwisconsin
        (767 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        I like pretty horns.

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      7. by muzik316
        (2 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        Try the Creston of course but the Glosanov Concerto or Concertino da Camera will kick your butt as well.

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    3. by John Coltrane
      (84 posts)
      19 years ago

      Re: Hardest Piece

      For solo and ensemble im playing all 3 parts of Wolfgang Jacobi's "Sonata for Alto Saxophone" pretty challenging piece, some to audition for, for college bands. Lots of sharps and flats, slow parts and sixteenth notes and rhythm sections everywhere with piano backing you up class A

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      1. by mooing_sheep
        (20 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Hardest Piece

        How about the hardest jazz piece? Any ideas???

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        1. by John Coltrane
          (84 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: Hardest Piece

          well a overall all aroudn hard piece could be Raincheck or Happy Go Lucky Local, every section has to be able to play the part or it sounds wrong.

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          1. by SaxMan
            (559 posts)
            19 years ago

            Re: Hardest Piece

            I would say - ah cant think of it - I want to say it is crazeology, btu I know that isnt right - Bebop keeps coming to mind too, but I dont think thats right - well its a crazzy friken song at about 220 that bird played alot - It hink cannonball did too - not a fan of adderly so I wouldnt know.

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          2. by John Coltrane
            (84 posts)
            19 years ago

            Re: Hardest Piece

            cannonball adderly owns :)

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          3. by sax_maniac
            (984 posts)
            19 years ago

            Re: Hardest Piece

            I know this is off subject, but I adore Adderly ballads.

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          4. by barimachine
            (323 posts)
            19 years ago

            Re: Hardest Piece

            i always take bebop for this really hard piece but its not THAT bad still awesome you just have to get it down the best verision is the stan getz sonny stitt and dizzy

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        2. by MaxRyan1112
          (1 post)
          3 years ago

          Re: Hardest Piece

          Hey, im looking for the hardest piece i can play on the tenor saxophone. I know it might seem like a crazy idea but i've only been playing the saxophone for two years now and was wondering how long it would take me to learn a really hard piece. Some guideline i want to set are: odd time signatures, really quick tempo, impossible rythmes to play, lots of sharps and flats, and it sound cool but also hard. It would be nice if it is on Youtube too.

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          1. by historicsaxwhisperer
            (641 posts)
            3 years ago

            Re: Hardest Piece

            Get Coltrane's Hal Leonard transcription book. Spend a week on Giant Steps.

            Then let us know what you think about a tenor piece, full of accidentals and strange techniques. I think the tempo is around a quarter note =290.

            I know for sure there are a few you tube examples out there.

             


            I know you were speaking classical, but you asked.

            Good Luck

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            1. by alex rennie
              (1 post)
              3 years ago

              Re: Hardest Piece

              I have bought the book and have learnt Giant Steps solo off by heart. Countdown is probably harder though. I would probably say the Denisov. I also recently played Pequeña Czarda by Pedro Itturalde. That's quite hard but sounds harder than it actually is tbh. How are we judging hardnes? (fast? expressive? technical e.g lots of altissimo? a mix?)

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