Saxophone History Timeline
Materials Compiled by:
Jeffrey Heisler (Oakland University), Timothy McAllister (Northwestern University / University of Michigan), Andrew Stoker, Fobert Faub, John Jeanneret and Rebecca Blow (SUNY Potsdam), Serge Bertocchi, Alex Sellers, and Steve Stusek (University of North Carolina Greensboro)
1814 - Antoine-Joseph (Adolphe) Sax born 6 November, Dinant, Belgium, studies instrument-making with his father, Charles-Joseph (1791-1865)
1834 - Adolphe Sax perfects bass-clarinet design; *improves keywork and construction
1842 - Sax arrives in Paris
1842 - 12 June--Sax's close friend Hector Berlioz writes article in Paris magazine Journal des Debats describing Sax's newest invention--the saxophone
1844 - 3 February--Berlioz conducts concert which features an arrangement of his choral work Chant Sacre which includes saxophone
1844 - December--Saxophone makes its orchestral debut in Georges Kastner's opera Last King of Juda; Paris Conservatory
1845 - Sax re-tools military band by replacing oboe, bassoons, and french horns with saxhorns in Bb and Eb, producing a more homogenous sound, his idea is a success
1845 - Georges Kastner--Variations Faciles et Brillante for solo saxophone; Sextour for 2 soprano, alto, bass and contrabass saxophones
1846 - Sax granted patent for saxophone
1847 - 14 February--Saxophone school set up at "Gymnase Militaire Musical"--a military band school in Paris
1858 - Sax becomes Professor of Saxophone at Paris Conservatory
1858 - Jean-Baptiste Singelee (b. Brussels 1812-d. Ostend 1875)-- writes first two Paris Conservatory contest solos; Concerto (sop./ten.), Fantaisie (bari.)
1861 - Wagner, in lieu of 12 French Horns, uses saxophones and saxhorns in the orchestra pit at the Paris premiere of his opera Tannhauser
1862 - Jules Demerssemann (b. Belgium 1833, d. Paris 1866)-- Fantaisie sur un Theme Originale (ded. to Henri Wuille, alto)
1866 - Sax patent expires--Millereau Co. patents Saxophone-Millereau, which features a forked F# key
1867 - Nazaire Beeckman becomes Professor of Saxophone at Brussels Conservatory
1868 - Gautrot, Pierre Louis & Co.--devises screw-in pad system and mechanism inside pad cup to keep outside of pad flat
1870 – Adolphe Sax class in the Conservatoire de Paris is closed (the military students are mobilized for the war). Will reopen in 1942 with Marcel Mule.
1871 - Gustav Poncelet becomes Professor of Saxophone at Brussels Conservatory after Beeckman
1875 - Goumas--patented saxophone with fingering system similar to Boehm system clarinet
1877 - Hyacinthe Klose--Methode Complete de Saxophone ; Klose-- Methode Elementaire (alto/tenor)
1879 - Klose--Methode Elementaire (baritone) Georges Bizet-- L'Arlesienne Suites No. 1&2
1881 - Klose--Methode Elementaire (sop.)
1881 - Jules Massenet--Herodiade
1881 - Sax extends his original patent--lengthens bell to include low Bb and A; also extends upward range to F# and G with use of fourth octave key
1885 - First saxophone built in U.S. from Sax patent by Gus Buescher
1886 - L'Association Des Ouvriers--devise right hand C trill key, and a half-tone system for first fingers of left and right hands
1887 - L'Association Des Ouvriers--invent tuning ring, and precursor of articulated G#
1887 - Evette and Schaeffer--improve on articulated G# so that G# key can be held down while any finger of the right hand is being used, improved forked F#, invented "bis" key, added low Bb
1888 - Lecomte--invents single octave key, rollers for low Eb-C 1892 - Jules Massenet—Werther
1893 – Rudy Weidoeft born in Detroit, MI on January 3rd
1894 - Sax dies
1896 - Eugene Coffin plays on earliest Columbia saxophone recordings 1897 - Creation of Storyville
1901 - 29 January, Charles Loeffler's Divertisment espanol is premiered by Elise Hall in Boston's Copley Hall (first work commissioned by E. Hall)
1901 - Elise Hall commissions Claude Debussy to write saxophone work
1901 – Marcel Mule born in Aube (Orne, France) on June 24th
1903 - Symphonia Domestica by Richard Strauss. Score includes saxophones keyed in F & C: sopr., alto (mezzo), bari., bass. *Part now exists as obbligato section for instruments keyed in Bb and Eb.
1903 - Elise Hall commissions Choral Varie by Vincent d'Indy
1904 - 4 January, premiere of Choral Varie by E. Hall in Copley Hall, Boston
1904 - 21 March, World Premiere of Richard Strauss' Symphonia Domestica in Carnegie Hall, New York City
1906 - 2 January, Elise Hall premieres Legend for saxophone and orchestra by Georges Sprok
1908 - Paul de Ville's Universal Method for saxophone first published by Carl Fischer
1911 - Henri Woollett's Siberia - Poeme Symphonique is premiered by Elise Hall
1911 - Tom Brown and the Brown Brothers saxophone sextet popularize saxophone with American public with recordings of such songs as: Bullfrog Blues, Chicken Walk, et.al.
1914 - Rudy Wiedoeft makes his first saxophone record
1916 - Charles Ives writes saxophone part in Symphony No. 4 (premiere of work is much later)
1917 - Bela Bartok's The Wooden Prince is premiered; score includes alto and tenor saxes
1917 - Benjamin Vereecken's Foundation of Saxophone Playing published by Carl Fischer
1918 – Florent Schmitt composes “Legende Op. 66” for Elise Hall
1918 - Percy Grainger uses saxophone for the first time in Children's March (sopr. alto, tenor, bari., and bass)
1919 - 11 March, premiere of Debussy's Rapsodie Yves Mayeur, soloist 1922 - Saxophone used in Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition 1923 - Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin (2 altos, tenor)
1923 - Darius Milhaud writes for saxophone in Le creation du monde 1924 - Elise Hall dies
1926 - Puccini's Turandot includes saxophone part in score
1926 - 31 January, first performance of serious saxophone literature in New York City's Aeolian Hall by Jascha Gurewich (1896-1938)
1926 – John Coltrane born in Hamlet, North Carolina
1927 - Ravel uses saxophone in his Bolero (sopranino, soprano, tenor)
1927 - Job by Ralph Vaughan Williams (alto)
1928 - An American in Paris by George Gershwin (alto, tenor, bari)
1928 - Symphony No. 1 Aaron Copland (alto)
1928 - Marcel Mule establishes quartet along with members of the Garde Republicaine de Paris
1928 – George Gershwin composes “An American in Paris” (includes Alto, Tenor, Baritone saxes)
1929 - Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933) composes 25 Caprices for Saxophone
1932 - Harvey Pittel is born on June 22
1932 - Eugene Rousseau is born in Blue Island, Illinois on August 23
1932 - Jean-Marie Londeix is born in Libourne, France on September 20
1932 – Alexandre Glazounov composes “Quatour Op. 109” for the Garde Républicaine's quartet
1933 - Marcel Mule premieres Legend by Florent Schmitt (written for Elise Hall)
1933 – Hindemith composes “Konzertstück”
1934 - Premiere of Alexandre Glazunov's Concerto on November 25th by Sigurd Rascher
1935 - Premiere of Jacques Ibert's Concertino da Camera (mvmt. 1) by Marcel Mule in December
1935 - Frederick Hemke is born on July 11th
1935 - Marcel Mule premieres Pierre Vellones' Concerto in November 16th
1935 - Sigurd Rascher premieres (in entirety) Concertino da Camera by Jacques Ibert on December 11th
1936 - Eugene Bozza composes Aria for alto saxophone
1937 - Cecil Leeson gives first performance of the Glazunov Concerto on February 5
1937 - Larry Teal premieres the Bernhard Heiden Sonata on April 8th
1937 - Donald Sinta is born in Detroit, MI on June 16th
1937 - James M. Stoltie born in Galesburg, Ill. on July 10th
1938 - Jascha Gurewich dies (known as composer of various saxophone works)
1939 - Jamey Aebersold is born on July 21st (known as a jazz pedagogue and influential to jazz saxophone practice techniques, as well as other instruments)
1939 - Arnold Brillhart begins design and production of mouthpieces (also known as jazz saxophonist)
1939 - Paul Creston (*Joseph Guttovegio) composes Sonata for Cecil Leesson
1939 - Paul Hindemith composes Sonata (adapted by composer for alto sax & piano)
1940 - Saxophonist Rudy Wiedoeft dies in Queens, NY on February 18
1941 - Top Tones, by Sigurd Rascher is released as a study to saxophone altissimo register
1941 - Henry Brant composes Concerto
1942 - Stan Getz (1927-1991) begins playing as a professional saxophonist
1942 - Classical Tenor saxophonist pioneer James Houlik is born in Bay Shore, NY on December 4
1942 - Pierre Lantier composes Andante et Scherzetto
1942 - Marcel Mule is appointed Professor of Saxophone at the Paris Conservatory
1943 - 18 Berbiguier Exercises is published by Mule
1944 - Eugene Bozza publishes Improvisation et Caprice for solo saxophone (used of different instruments previously)
1946 - 48 Ferling Etudes is reissued through Marcel Mule
1948 - Japanese saxophonist and composer Ryo Noda is born in Amagasaki, Japan on October 17
1948 - Heitor Villa-Lobos composes Fantasia Op. 630 for Marcel Mule
1949 - Jazz saxophonists Gerry Mulligan and Lee Konitz are released along with other artists on Miles Davis' album Birth of the Cool
1949 – Premiere of Ingolf Dahl's Concerto by Sigurd Rascher
1950 - Lynn Klock, Prof at Univ. of Mass. Amherst, is born on August 12
1951 - Rueff Concerto is premiered in the Solos de Concours in Paris
1953 - Daniel Deffayet debuts as saxophone soloist (succeeds Mule at the Paris Conservatory in 1968)
1953 - Larry Teal is appointed Professor of Saxophone at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor *becoming the first American public university, tenure-track appointment; founds doctoral program
1954 - The Selmer Mark VI Saxophone begins to be produced 1955 - Charlie "Bird" Parker dies in New York City on March 12
1956 - Alfred Desenclos composes Prelude, Cadence et Finale for the Paris Solos de Concours
1956 - Dubois composes Quatour for saxophones
1956 - Frederick Hemke is first American saxophonist to win Premiere Prix de Saxophone at the Paris Conservatory
1956 - Laura Hunter is born June 13 (student of Donald Sinta and J.M. Londeix)
1957 - Saxophone Colossus released by jazz tenor man Sonny Rollins
1958 - John Coltrane is jazz tenor saxophonist and quartet leader on the album, Giant Steps
1958 - Erland von Koch composes Concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra for Sigurd Rascher
1959 - "Take Five" a Paul Desmond composition is released on the album featuring the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out
1959 - Paule Maurice composes Tableaux de Provence
1959 - Jazz tenor legend Lester Young dies in New York on March 15 1960 - Joseph Lulloff, prof of sax at Michigan State University, is born 1961 - Percy Grainger dies, February 2
1961 - Walter Hartley's Petite Suite written for Fred Hemke
1961 – Giacinto Scelsi composes Tre Pezzi
1961 - Karel Husa composes Elegie et Rondeau
1962 – John David Lamb composes Six Barefoot Dances
1962 - Eugene Rousseau studies with Marcel Mule
1963 - The Art of Saxophone Playing is published by Larry Teal
1963 - Fred Hemke is appointed to Northwestern Univ. staff
1964 - John Coltrane's A Love Supreme issued
1964 – Alfred Desenclos composes Quatuor for saxophones
1967 - Coltrane dies, July 17
1967 – Steve Reich composes Reed Phase
1967 - DiPasquale Sonata is published for Tenor Sax (Southern Music)
1967 - Hartley writes and publishes Poem and Sonatina for James Houlik
1967 - Karel Husa composes Concerto for saxophone and band
1968 - Mule retires from Paris Conservatory
1968 - Daniel Defayet begins teaching at the Paris Conservatoire
1968 - Leslie Bassett's Music for Alto Saxophone and Piano is published (Peters)
1968 – Philip Glass composes Gradus
1968 - Saxophonist James Stoltie hired at SUNY Potsdam's Crane
School of Music
1968 - Leslie Bassett composes Music for Saxophone and Piano
1969 - Rascher Quartet is formed - Sigurd and Carina Rascher, Bruce Weinberger and Linda Bangs
1969 - M.W. Karlins Music for Tenor Saxophone is written for Hemke
1969 - Heiden Solo written for Rousseau
1969 - May 19, Coleman Hawkins dies
1969 - December - 1st World Saxophone Congress Meeting, Chicago; organized by Brodie/Rousseau; *Donald Sinta elected Chairman
1970 - December - Trent Kynaston (prof of sax at Western Mich. Univ.) premieres Muczynki's Sonata Op. 29
1970 - 2nd World Saxophone Congress Meeting, Chicago 1970 - Edison Denisov writes Sonata for J.M. Londeix 1971 - Rosemary Lang altissimo studies published
1971 - Noda Improvisation I written for Londeix
1971 - Saxophone Concertos (Eugene Rousseau) record issued on Deutches Grammophon; reissued in CD 1998
1971 - 3rd WSC Meeting in Toronto
1972 - Daily Studies: Larry Teal Published
1972 – William Duckworth composes Pitt County Excursions
1973 - Nov. 8, Harvey Pittel makes Carnegie Hall debut
1973 - Fourth WSC Meeting in Bordeaux, France
1973 – Marcel Mihalovici composes Chant Premier
1974 - Larry Teal retires from the University of Michigan, Donald Sinta takes over
1974 - Ross Lee Finney composes Concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra of wind instruments for Teal's retirement. Premiered by Sinta
1975 – Darius Milhaud dies
1975 - Cannonball Adderly dies
1976 - Mark VII introduced with standard high F# key
1976 - Selmer's square-chamber mouthpieces marketed
1976 – Ronald Caravan composes Paradigms I
1977 - 30 May, PaulDesmond dies
1977 - Rascher's last public performance
1977 – John Sampen begins teaching at Bowling Green State University
1978 - Houlik makes Carnegie Hall debut 1978 - Lynn Klock makes Carnegie Hall debut
1978 - Merle Johnston (b. 1897 Watertown, NY) dies (revolutionized pedagogy in the US)
1978 – François Rossé composes Le Frène Égaré
1979 - James Forger premieres John Anthony Lennon's Distances Within Me
1979 – Marius Constant composes Concertante
1980 - Yamaha introduces 62 series
1980 - Laura Hunter makes Carnegie Hall debut
1980 – Ichirô Nodaïra composes Arabesque III
1980 – Karlheinz Stockhausen composes Knabenduet for two sopranos
1981 - Selmer S80 mouthpiece introduced
1981 - Kynaston premieres Muczynki's Concerto op. 41
1981 - Sigurd Rascher retires
1981 - Houlik performs in Alice Tully Hall
1981 - Premiere of Luciano Berio's Sequenza IXb
1981 – Betsy Jolas composes Points d'or
1982 - Claude Delangle becomes Professor at the CNRM at Boulogne- Billancourt
1982 - Saxophone Sinfonia appears in Alice Tully Hall (D. Bilger, dir.) 1982 - 7th WSC in Nuremburg, Germany
1982 - Premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen's In Freundschaft, version for saxophone (J. Sampen)
1982 - Charles Wuorinen composes Divertimento
1982 - Jean-Michel Goury begins teaching at the Conservatoire National de Musique des Landes
1982 - Li Yusheng begins teaching at the Sichuan Conservatory 1982 – Daniel Kientzy publishes Les Sons Multiples aux Saxophones
1983 - Amercian saxophonist Steven Jordheim wins Silver Medal (top prize) at the Geneva International Competition
1983 - Gunther Schuller composes Sonata
1984 - William Albright Sonata written for Wytko, Sinta, and Hunter
1984 – William Bolcom composes Lilith
1984 – Philippe Hurel composes Opcit
1984 - Larry Teal dies
1984 - John Harle makes Carnegie Hall debut
1984 - William Bolcom composes Lilith
1985 - Paul Creston dies
1985 - Joe Lulloff makes Carnegie Hall debut
1985 - Laura Hunter premieres Albright Sonata
1985 - Steve Reich composes New York Counterpoint
1986 - Selmer S80 Series II introduced
1986 - Jean-Michel Goury leaves the CNM Landes and begins teaching at the Conservatoire National de Musique des Boulogne-Billancourt
1987 - Kenneth Radnofsky premieres Donald Martino's Concerto in New Hampshire
1987 - Morton Subotnick composes In Two Worlds
1987 - Premiere of Iannis Xenakis' XAS on November 17 1988 - Daniel Defayet leaves the Paris Conservatoire
1988 - Claude Delangle becomes Professor of Saxophone at the Paris Conservatory
1988 - John Sampen premieres Morton Subotnick's In Two Worlds in London
1988 – Christian Lauba composes Hard
1988 – Marilyn Shrude composes Renewing the Myth
1989 – Elliott Carter composes Canonic Suite
1989 – Yamaha begins production of the WX-7 midi wind controller
1989 – Franco Donatoni composes Hot
1990 - Premiere of Franco Donatoni's Rasch for saxophone quartet
1991 – Luciano Berio composes Canticum Novissimi testamenti for 8 voices, 4 saxes, 4 clarinets for the Rascher Quartet
1991 - Stan Getz dies
1992 – John Cage composes Four5 for John Sampen
1992 – John Jarbison composes San Antonio
1992 - Charles Wuorinen composes Saxophone Quartet
1993 - Charles Wuorinen composes a saxophone quartet Concerto
1993 - Timothy McAllister and Donell Synder share 1st Prize in the NASA Young Artist Competition, Fairfax, VA
1993 - Premiere of Luciano Berio's Sequenza VIIb
1994 - Taimur Sullivan wins 1st Prize in the NASA Young Artist Competition, Morgantown, WV
1994 - John Harbisson composes San Antonio
1994 - Christian Lauba composes Nuef Etudes starting in 1992
1994 - Adolphe Sax Competition winners: 1st Vincent David, Fabrizio Mancuso, Fabrice Moretti
1995 - Londeix performs farewell concert
1995 - Marie Bernadette Charrier succeeds Londeix at the Bourdeaux Conservatory
1995 - Arno Bornkamp begins teaching at Conservatorium van Amsterdam
1995 - Lennie Pickett named Musical Director of Saturday Night Live
1995 – Premiere of Franco Donatoni's Rasch II
1995 - Michael Colgrass composes Urban Requiem
1995 - Harrisson Birtwhistle's Panic is premiered at the BBC Proms
1995 – Philip Glass composes Concerto for saxophone quartet and orchestra
1996 – Premiere of Luciano Berio's Récit, Chemin VII by Claude Delangle
1996 - Panic by Sir Harrison Birtwistle is premiered by John Harle at the Last Night of the BBC Proms
1996 - Gerry Mulligan dies
1996 - Kevin Towner wins 1st Prize in the NASA Young Artist Competition at the 2nd Biennial NASA Conference
1997 - 11th World Saxophone Congress in Italy
1997 - Timothy McAllister makes Carnegie Hall debut as soloist for the University of Michigan Band Centennial Anniversary Tour
1997 - Chris Potter wins Jazz Par Prize
1997 - Joshua Redman wins Thelonious Monk Competition
1998 - 3rd Biennial Meeting of NASA, Scotty Stepp wins 1st Prize in NASA Young Artist Competition
1998 - William Albright dies
1998 - William Bolcom composes Concert Suite
1998 - Adolphe Sax Competition winners: 1st Alexandre Doisy, 2nd Otis Murphy, 3rd Hiroshi Hara
1999 – Premiere of Grab It by Jacob ter Veldhuis
1999 - Concert Suite by William Bolcom is premiered by Donald Sinta
1999 - Timothy McAllister makes Carnegie Hall recital debut
1999 - Branford Marsalis releases Requiem
1999 - William Bolcom's Concerto Grosso (version with orchestra) premiered on October 20 by PRISM
1990 - Steve Stusek begins teaching at UNCG
2000 - Bernhard Heiden dies
2000 - 12th World Saxophone Congress in Montreal, Ontario, CANADA
2000 - 4th Biennial Meeting of NASA, Jacob Chmara wins 1st Prize in NASA Young Artist Competition
2000 - Gregory Wanamaker's Sonata deus sax machina is premiered by McAllister and pianist David Heinick at 12th World Congress
2000 - Eugene Rousseau retires from Indiana University, begins teaching at University of Minnesota
2000 - James Stoltie retires from The Crane School of Music as Dean
2000 - Jean-Marie Londeix: Master of the Modern Saxophone by James Umble is published
2001 – Georges Aperghis composes Alter Ego 2001 - Sigurd Rascher dies
2001 - Marcel Mule celebrates 100th birthday 2001 - Marcel Mule dies (December)
2001 - Joe Henderson dies
2001 - ninth circle saxophone quartet wins Grand Prize in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition
2001 - Otis Murphy appointed to the faculty of Indiana University
2001 - Timothy McAllister and Crane Wind Ensemble, Timothy Topolewski, cond., receive three first-round Grammy nominations for their recording of William Bolcom's Concert Suite
2001 - Chris Potter releases Gratitude
2002 - 5th Biennial Meeting of NASA, Robert White-Davis wins 1st Prize in NASA Young Artist Competition
2002 - Nick Brignola dies
2002 - America's Tribute to Adolphe Sax, Vols. 1-7 is released in box set. (AUR)
2002 – Adolphe Sax Competition winners: 1st Hiroshi Hara, Julien Petit, Antonio Felipe Belijar
2003 - Red Clay Saxophone Quartet formed: Susan Fancher, Bob Faub, Steven Stusek, Mark Engebretson
2006 – Adolphe Sax Competition Winners: 1st Sergey Kolesov, Antonio Felipe Belijar, Takumi Kainuma
2007 - Michael Brecker dies January 13 in New York City
2008 - Eliot Gattegno wins the Kranichsteiner Musikpreis at the Darmstadt Summer Course
2008 - Jeffrey Heisler gives the North American Premiere of Luciano Berio’s Recit (Chemins VII) with the Bowling Green State University Philharmonia
2008 - 2nd International Jean-Marie Londeix Competition winners – 1st Alexandre Doisy, 2nd Doug O'Connor, 3rd Miha Rogina
2009 - Jeffrey Heisler arranges and premieres Steve Reich’s Vermont Counterpoint for saxophones
2010 - Adolphe Sax Competition winners: 1st Simon Diriq, 2nd Nikita Zimin, 3rd Alexandre Souillart
2011 - William Bolcom's Concerto Grosso (version with band) premiered on February 4 by the Donald Sinta Quartet
2011 - Branford Marsallis performs the Glazunnov Concerto with the Chicago Symphony
2011 - 3rd Londeix Competition winners - 1st Joshua Hyde, 2nd Michael Krenn, 3rd Noa Even
2012 - Fred Hemke retires from Northwestern University
2012 - Timothy McAllister begins teaching at Northwestern University
2012 - Ensemble Dal Niente (with saxophonist Ryan Muncy) wins the Kranichsteiner Musikpreis at the Darmstadt Summer Course
2013 - Timothy McAllister premieres John Adams' Saxophone Concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
2013 - 1st International Saxophone Symposium and Competition (ISSAC) winners – 1st Zach Shemon, 2nd Jan Gričar, 3rd Phil Pierick
2014 - Donald Sinta retires from the University of Michigan
2014 – Joseph Lulloff Premieres Steven Bryant’s Concerto for saxophone and wind band with the Michigan State University Wind Symphony
2014 - Timothy McAllister begins teaching at the University of Michigan
2019 - Fred Hemke dies, April 17.
^Concert Artist's Guild Award Saxophonists – Harvey Pittel (1973), Rita Kneusel (1978), Laura Hunter (1980), John Harle (1983), Steven Jordheim (1984), Joe Lulloff (1984), New Century Saxophone Quartet (1992), Amstel Quartet (2006), Donald Sinta Quartet (2013)