The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized instrument in the saxophone family, which was created by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor saxophone and the alto saxophone are the two most often used saxophones. The tenor saxophone is tuned to the key of B♭, and it is a transposing instrument written in the treble clef. It sounds one octave and a major second lower than the notes written on the sheet music. Modern tenor saxophones with a high F♯ key can play from A♭2 to E5 in concert pitch, which is one octave below the soprano saxophone. People who play the tenor saxophone are called "tenor saxophonists," "tenor sax players," or "saxophonists."
The tenor saxophone uses a larger mouthpiece, reed, and ligature than the alto and soprano saxophones. It can be easily recognized by the curve in its neck, or crook, near the mouthpiece. The alto saxophone does not have this curve, and its neck goes directly to the mouthpiece. The tenor saxophone is known for its ability to blend well with the soprano, alto, and baritone saxophones. Its tone is described as "husky" yet "bright."
The tenor saxophone has been an important solo instrument in jazz music. Famous and influential players include Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Ben Webster, Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, and Wayne Shorter. The work of younger players such as Michael Brecker and Chris Potter has also had a significant influence on recent jazz.
History
The tenor saxophone is part of a group of fourteen musical instruments created in 1846 by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian-born inventor, musician, and maker of wind instruments. These instruments were inspired by a mix of ideas from the clarinet, flute, oboe, and ophicleide. Sax designed the saxophone to connect the sound of woodwind and brass instruments in military bands, which he believed were missing this connection. His patent, granted on June 28, 1846, divided the saxophone family into two groups of seven instruments each, ranging from the highest soprano to the lowest contrabass. One group was tuned to B♭ and E♭ to work well with other instruments in military bands. The tenor saxophone, tuned to B♭, is the fourth instrument in this group.
Description
The tenor saxophone, like all saxophones, is made from a tube of thin brass that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The wide end of the tube is slightly widened to form a bell, and the narrow end connects to a single reed mouthpiece, similar to the clarinet. Along the tube, there are about 20 to 23 tone holes. These holes are covered by pads that can be pressed to create an airtight seal. There are also two small speaker holes. When these holes are opened, they change the lower sounds of the instrument and make it play higher notes. The pads are controlled by pressing keys with the fingers of both hands. The left thumb controls an octave key that opens one of the speaker holes. The original design of the tenor saxophone had a separate octave key for each speaker hole, like the bassoon. Later, a system was developed to choose the correct speaker hole based on the left ring finger’s position after the patent expired in 1866.
Most tenor saxophones have a "U-bend" above the third-lowest tone hole, a feature common to all saxophones. The instrument is also curved at the top, above the highest tone hole but below the highest speaker hole. The alto saxophone is usually bent about 80–90° to fit the mouthpiece in the mouth, while the tenor is bent slightly more, creating a small S-bend.
The mouthpiece of the tenor saxophone is similar to the clarinet’s. It is shaped like a wedge, open on one side, and covered by a thin strip of material from the giant cane (Arundo donax), called a reed. The reed is shaved to a thin point and attached to the mouthpiece with a ligature. When air is blown through the mouthpiece, the reed vibrates, creating sound. The mouthpiece’s shape and style greatly affect the instrument’s sound. Classical mouthpieces usually produce a warmer, rounder tone, while jazz mouthpieces create a brighter, edgier sound. Mouthpieces can be made from plastic, ebonite, or metals like bronze, brass, and stainless steel.
The tenor saxophone’s mouthpiece is larger than the alto’s, requiring a larger reed. The stiffer reed and greater airflow needed to make the larger body resonate mean the tenor saxophone requires more lung power but a looser mouth position than higher-pitched saxophones. The tenor saxophone’s reed is similar in size to the reed used in the bass clarinet and can be used interchangeably.
Uses
The tenor saxophone first became popular in one of its original purposes: military bands. Soon after it was invented, French and Belgian military bands began using the instrument that Sax had created for them. Today, modern military bands often include a group of four saxophone players who play the E♭ baritone, tenor, E♭ alto, and B♭ soprano saxophones. British military bands usually use only the tenor and alto saxophones, with two or more musicians playing each instrument.
The tenor saxophone is used in classical music. It is a common instrument in concert bands and saxophone quartets. It also has music pieces written specifically for solo performances. The tenor saxophone is sometimes played in orchestras, as seen in works like Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet and Lieutenant Kijé Suite, and Maurice Ravel’s Boléro. Charles Ives included a tenor saxophone in his Fourth Symphony. Vincent d'Indy wrote music for a tenor saxophone in his opera Fervaal. Lukas Foss used a tenor saxophone in his Symphony No. 2. Béla Bartók included the tenor saxophone and other saxophones in his ballet The Wooden Prince. Igor Stravinsky used two tenor saxophones in his Ebony Concerto.
Many people in the United States became familiar with saxophones because of the large number of military bands during the American Civil War. After the war, instruments from military bands were used by the general public, often for gospel music and jazz. Patrick Gilmore, a pioneering bandleader, was influential in arranging music by placing brass instruments (such as trumpets, trombones, and cornets) against reed instruments (like clarinets and saxophones), a practice now common in big-band music.
The tenor saxophone became widely known through its use in jazz music. Coleman Hawkins, a pioneering musician in the 1930s, helped change the tenor saxophone’s role from supporting the ensemble to being a main instrument for playing melodies. Many jazz musicians from the 1930s onward played the tenor saxophone. The strong, rich sound of Hawkins and his followers contrasted with the lighter style of Lester Young and his group. During the bebop era, the most famous tenor saxophone players in jazz were the Four Brothers in the Woody Herman orchestra, including Stan Getz, who later became popular for playing the Brazilian bossa nova style on the tenor saxophone. Other notable tenor saxophonists include John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, and Sonny Rollins. In recent years, the tenor saxophone remains popular in smooth jazz, played by artists such as Kirk Whalum, Richard Elliot, Steve Cole, and Jessy J. Saxophonists Ron Holloway and Karl Denson are important players in the jam band music scene. Van Morrison learned to read music and play the tenor saxophone from his neighbor, jazz musician George Cassidy, who specialized in the tenor saxophone. Morrison and Cassidy became close friends through this shared interest.
Former president Bill Clinton has played the tenor saxophone throughout much of his life. He received a special-edition saxophone while he was in office.
Because of its importance in American jazz, the tenor saxophone has also been used in other music styles. It is common in rhythm and blues music and appears in rock and roll, as well as more recent rock music. It is also used in African American, Latin American, Afro-Caribbean, and African music.