The baritone saxophone, often shortened to "bari sax," is a type of saxophone. It is larger and sounds lower than the tenor saxophone but smaller and sounds higher than the bass saxophone. It is the lowest-sounding saxophone commonly used; the bass, contrabass, and subcontrabass saxophones are not as common. Like all saxophones, it uses a single reed to make sound. It is often played in concert bands, chamber music groups, military bands, big bands, and jazz ensembles. It may also appear in other groups, such as rock bands and marching bands. Modern baritone saxophones are tuned to the key of E♭.
History
The baritone saxophone was invented in 1846 by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument maker. He created it as part of a group of 14 saxophones. Sax believed these instruments could help connect the sounds of woodwinds and brasses. The saxophone family was split into two groups of seven instruments each, ranging from the soprano to the contrabass. While a design for an F baritone saxophone was included in the C and F family, no F baritone saxophones are known to exist. The group of saxophones in the keys of B♭ and E♭ became more popular because they were widely used in military bands.
All saxophones were originally designed to play in the key of low B. However, in 1887, a low B♭ mechanism was invented and became standard by 1910 for most saxophones, including baritones. On the baritone saxophone, this low B♭ is equivalent to concert D♭. Players later added "low A pipes" to the bell to extend the range to concert C, which is just below concert D♭ (low A on the baritone sax). This change made the low B♭ difficult to play and caused the low B note to be out of tune. This method is still used by some players today.
From the 1930s to the 1950s, manufacturers tried to improve the saxophone by extending the bell to add a low A key. One simple method was to add a cylindrical section between the bell and the bow to create extra length and a tone hole. Some companies made and sold these instruments, but they often had tuning issues in the lowest notes and were criticized for poor sound quality. In the late 1950s, Selmer Paris began making low A versions of the Mark VI baritone saxophone with a separately designed bell (this may have been a custom option before this time). These instruments avoided the tuning problems of earlier designs. By the 1970s, Yamaha’s YBS-61 model was keyed to low A without a low B♭ option. By the 1980s, most baritone saxophones were built with low A bells. Today, the low A model is standard, and only a few manufacturers still make saxophones with low B♭ keys.
Originally, the highest note on the baritone saxophone was high E♭. However, by the 1920s, saxophones keyed to high F became standard. High F♯ became a rare option in the 1950s and gradually became more common. Today, most baritone saxophones are made with a high F♯ key.
Description
The baritone saxophone, like other saxophones, is made from a thin brass tube that is shaped like a cone. It has a wide, flared end called a bell and a smaller end connected to a mouthpiece. The baritone saxophone uses a single reed mouthpiece, similar to that of a clarinet. At the top of the instrument, there is a loop formed by two U-shaped pieces of tube called the upper bow and spit bow. This loop helps make the saxophone easier to hold.
Baritone saxophones are usually available in two versions. One version can play down to the note low A, and the other can play down to low B♭. Although low A saxophones are commonly used, some players prefer low B♭ saxophones because the low A version is heavier or they prefer older models. Some people believe low A saxophones may not sound as strong in the lowest notes, but this idea is debated by musicians.
A baritone saxophone weighs between 11 and 20 pounds (5.0 to 9.1 kilograms), depending on its material and design. This makes it much heavier than a tenor saxophone. To help carry the weight more comfortably, some players use a harness instead of a neck strap. Some modern saxophones also have a mount for a floor peg, like those on bass clarinets, to reduce pressure on the player’s neck when sitting.
Transposition
The baritone saxophone is a transposing instrument in the key of E♭. It sounds one octave and a major sixth lower than the notes written on the page. It is one octave lower in pitch than the alto saxophone. Modern baritone saxophones with a low A key and a high F♯ key can play notes from C2 to A4.
Like all saxophones, music for the baritone saxophone is written in treble clef. By chance, musicians can use a method called clef substitution to read music written in bass clef at concert pitch (such as parts for tuba or bassoon). This involves reading the music as if it were written in treble clef and imagining there are three additional sharps (or three fewer flats) in the key signature. A similar method allows instruments in B♭, like the tenor saxophone, to read concert pitch parts written in tenor clef.
Music genre
The baritone saxophone is a common instrument in concert bands and saxophone quartets. It is sometimes used in orchestral music. Examples include Richard Strauss's Sinfonia Domestica, which includes a baritone saxophone in F; Béla Bartók's The Wooden Prince ballet music; Charles Ives's Symphony No. 4 (composed between 1910 and 1916); and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue (Grofé's orchestration) and An American in Paris. In his opera The Devils of Loudun, Krzysztof Penderecki includes two baritone saxophones. Karlheinz Stockhausen uses a baritone saxophone in Gruppen, and Stravinsky includes one in his Ebony Concerto.
There are not many solo pieces for the baritone saxophone, but more concertos are being written now. One example is Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra by American composer Philip Glass. This piece can be played with or without an orchestra and features the baritone saxophone in the second movement. Another example is Rhapsody for Baritone Saxophone by Mark Watters, which is scored for piano, wind ensemble, and orchestra. This solo piece includes a challenging and skillful solo section.
Many jazz musicians use the baritone saxophone as their main instrument. It is part of standard big band setups, though the larger bass saxophone was sometimes used until the 1940s. As noted by Alain Cupper from JazzBariSax.com, "Used a few times in contemporary classical music…it is especially in jazz that this wonderful instrument feels most comfortable." Harry Carney, a longtime member of Duke Ellington's band, was one of the instrument's early pioneers.
Famous baritone saxophone soloists in jazz include Gerry Mulligan, Cecil Payne, Sahib Shihab, John C. Williams, Pepper Adams, Serge Chaloff, and Leo Parker. Peter Brötzmann is known for his work in free jazz. A notable Scottish performer is Joe Temperley, who played with Humphrey Lyttelton and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
More recent musicians include Hamiet Bluiett (who has led a group of baritone saxophonists), John Surman, Scott Robinson, James Carter, Stephen "Doc" Kupka of Tower of Power, Nick Brignola, Gary Smulyan, Brian Landrus, and Ronnie Cuber. In the avant-garde scene, Tim Berne has played the baritone saxophone. Jazz/funk musician Leo Pellegrino of Lucky Chops and Too Many Zooz has gained popularity with younger audiences for his energetic style.
The baritone saxophone is an important instrument in military bands and is often used in musical theater. It was part of horn sections in many rock-and-roll songs from the 1950s. In the 1960s, Motown hits featured baritone saxophonist Mike Terry. The instrument has continued to appear in horn sections of American rock, pop, funk, blues, Latin, and soul bands.
Prominent baritone saxophonists in modern American popular music include Stephen Kupka of Tower of Power, Dana Colley of Morphine, Leroi Moore of the Dave Matthews Band, John Linnell of They Might Be Giants, and Martin Perna of Antibalas, the Dap-Kings, and TV on the Radio.
Nigerian Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti often included two baritone saxophonists in his band.
Some modern non-jazz musicians have started using saxophones in their music. The LA indie rock band Fitz and the Tantrums included both an alto and a baritone saxophone in their 2016 song "Handclap," played by band member James King. The experimental jazz/funk group Too Many Zooz, originally a New York City subway band, has popularized the baritone saxophone. The trio has released three albums and appeared in a TEDxYouth @ Budapest segment.
In popular culture
Lisa Simpson from the cartoon comedy series The Simpsons plays the baritone sax.
Haruka Ogasawara from the anime Sound! Euphonium plays the baritone sax.