Progressive popularity

By the time of his death in 1894, Adolphe Sax had already achieved the near-impossible, though like many great inventors he would neither recognise this nor profit from it; to introduce a new musical instrument and gain acceptance of typically conservative musicians and public is a feat probably partially paralleled in the last 300 years only by Arnold Dolmetsch's re-introduction of the now common recorder. Sax's early liaison with the Garde Républicaine had assured the saxophone of a continuing presence in the French army bands, and it was this strength which eventually fed the instrument into other musical areas as the twentieth century dawned. His efforts in the classical field reaped little reward, and this was to remain a much less active arena for many years.

It is to Sax's credit that most of the acoustical and mechanical improvements to the saxophone constitute refinements which do not significantly depart from the original patents or render the early instruments unplayable today: most are developments appropriate to more modern manufacturing techniques, greater performer agility, or the optimisation of the tonal requirements of players. Since Sax's original patent rightly includes the mouthpiece, it is necessary to record a parallel development here also.

At the beginning of the twentieth century there was a firm and continuing role for the saxophone in the military bands of France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe, with a rather recalcitrant England soon to follow. In America the Gilmore and Sousa showbands did much to extend the exposure of the instrument to the general public. However, in classical music the saxophone made only an occasional appearance, due in large part to the lack of substantial repertoire and the disinterest of orchestral musicians. Indeed the tenuous thread spun by Adolphe’s early teaching at the Paris Conservatoire seems barely discernible until reinforced by Marcel Mule and Sigurd Rascher some fifty years later.