Re: Impossible to "log-in" to forum discussions when emailed about them!
One notion which comes immediately to mind of the saxophone, is that few if any other musical instruments seem to be so closely influenced by the play of indecent capitalism's rankest attacks on reason.
I always try to balance this impression though, with one which fondly places the technology smack dab in a prior era's extrapolation of steam powered mechanism's; suggested to me first by the great Gerry Mulligan rare outing featuring himself as composer/arranger on the LP AGE OF STEAM which amazingly has yet to be reissued on any CD I know of.
There were also once in Seattle a father/son team of repairmen whose last name I think LeSurre was also their shop's business name LESURRE'S; who'd built entirely from scratch a tiny desktop size & functional steam engine a person loved to get a look at; so long ago now I'm not even sure if I'd ever really seen the thing though I seem to remember I have. Who'd been known for their work on double reed instruments I'd guess also were adept to some degree with a sax?
I'd have to suggest of myself that in this opinion about capitalism-which I tend to loath in anything, as someone given to my Marxist driven intellect: Experience for me, includes construction of an interesting conical bore, single-reed horn my medium sized hand's breadth in length; deftly combining the sound of a saxophone with the facility of a reed flute in terms of simplicity of construction and mechanisms, as well as some of the playing characteristics of the simpler instrument, though with ten tone holes ultimately whose length is precisely ergonomically specific, in order for the largest, bottom tone hole to be playable with musical quality at the generally excellent balance of the whole of the rest of this amazing instrument.
Constructed entirely from remains of an unfortunate Bundy resonite Eb clarinet I'd recently overhauled myself with cork pads which was an amazing player awhile I'd enjoyed. Which now has the former barrel joint attached to the once a clarinet bell, via the two tenons at either extreme of the keybody, sawn off and epoxied to each other quite securely. Which of course overblows the octave and with a range about an octave and a half at least until I get nervy or possibly better capable at further experimentation making a more evolved version. One can hope at least, since rather a fun little thing to toot; where also an imaginative presence to see and speculate upon.
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