Saxophone Forum


by flowertj
(6 posts)
15 years ago

Jazz Saxophone & Classical Saxophone: Why The Enmity?

First and foremost, we are all saxophonists. Neither genre is better than the other in any way. That's the beauty of art in general. It is all subjective. So if I'm in the practice room studying and interpreting the beautiful harmonic and melodic structure of Claude Debussy's "Rhapsodie" for Saxophone and Orchestra, and my good friend is next door on the tenor trying figure out how he could incorporate some chromatic neighbor tones in his solo on "Autumn Leaves" to make it even more interesting, are the two of us really doing anything very different from each other? Sure the style is different, but what about the pursuit of creating music--beautiful music at that? There is no wrong or right here, but I do think it is wrong to make sweeping generalities about either style of saxophone playing, which includes making judgements about the quality of one's character. So I pose the question: Why all of this unneeded animosity between such closely linked fields of music?

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  1. by cooperlink
    (1 post)

    14 years ago

    Re: Jazz Saxophone & Classical Saxophone: Why The Enmity?

    Besides in online forums, I don't think there really is enmity. There are so few "spots" for classical music saxophone, I suppose they may feel special at times, but in the real world, the jazz world supplies the gigs. The classical saxophone represents 1 % of all saxophoning, unless you throw in college marching bands.

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    1. by ofunck
      (2 posts)

      14 years ago

      Re: Jazz Saxophone & Classical Saxophone: Why The Enmity?

      Unless you teach. Then you need to be versed in both genres.

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      1. by kelsey
        (930 posts)

        14 years ago

        Re: Jazz Saxophone & Classical Saxophone: Why The Enmity?

        Most musicians have to wear many hats to make a living. We teach, write, play many different kinds of gigs, record and more. We can't just be a jazz or classical sax player and make a living......Kelsey
        Barry Kelsey

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