Celebrating the Saxes: presented by the National Music Museum, Vermillion, South Dakota

"For most people, the name “Sax” is synonymous with Adolphe Sax's most popular invention--the saxophone (left).  But, Adolphe Sax (1814-1894) also patented other instruments.  Have you ever heard of the saxhorn or the saxotromba? He also developed instruments with multiple bells and six independent valves. He learned his craft from his father, Charles-Joseph (1790-1865).  And he passed on his business to his youngest son, Adolphe Edouard (1859-1945), the 3rd--and last-- generation of the Sax Dynasty!"

"Charles-Joseph Sax

 (1790-1865)"

"According to Adolphe Sax's birth certificate, his father, Charles-Joseph, was a joiner and cabinet maker in addition to being a prolific musical instrument maker.  It is likely that he made not only instruments, but also their cases, such as the ornately inlaid one shown at the left.  Adolphe apprenticed with his father in his Brussels workshop."

"Adolphe Sax

 (1814-1894)"

"However, Adolphe was a controversial person and for more than 20 years was embroiled in legal disputes with his competitors. Enduring three bankruptcies, Adolphe died destitute in 1894."

"You may have seen brass instruments with three or four or even five piston valves, but have you ever seen one with six valves? Adolphe Sax devised a system of six independent piston valves that he patented in 1859.  With six independent valves, it was possible to play all the notes more easily in tune.  But, these instruments were very heavy and difficult to make.  Players had to learn different fingerings to play them.  So, six-valved instruments never gained long-term acceptance."

"Adolphe Sax proposed reforms to make the French military bands the best in Europe--a proposal that would ultimately benefit his own bottom line.  The Minister of War adopted Sax's plan, which essentially gave Sax a monopoly on the manufacture of certain military instruments, such as his saxhorns and saxotrombas. Competition between instrument makers was fierce, but Sax was eventually awarded the Grand Prix at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867--the highest prize  awarded to the 486 participating makers."

"In his 1845 patent, Adolphe Sax defined the saxotromba as an alto or baritone-sized instrument with an upright bell.  They were originally designed for use by cavalry musicians, to help them avoid hitting the heads of their horses with the bells of their instruments.  Conceived of as a family of instruments, both the narrow-bore saxotrombas and the large-bore saxhorns were meant to be played together. Eventually, all instruments with upright bells became commonly known as saxhorns."

"Imagine this:  one day Adolphe Sax is in his workshop.  He's fine tuning a keyed ophicleide he just made, like the one to the left.  Not happy with the sound, he takes the brass cup-shaped mouthpiece off and puts on a bass clarinet mouthpiece instead.  The new sound is not quite brass-like, but it doesn't sound like a clarinet either.  That is probably how the first saxophone was made.  A member of the woodwind family, the saxophone has almost always been made from metal.  Adolphe patented this new family of instruments in 1846."

"For many years, Adolphe Sax was the director of the stage band at the Paris Opera House, where he introduced several new instruments of his own design. The grand parade trumpet in G (right) was one of the instruments used in Sax's band and is stamped OPERA / 19 on the bell. For performances, a banner was attached to the two small loops on the trumpet.  Sax's band played in several different operas including Meyerbeer's “Robert le Diable,” Verdi's “Aida” and “Rigoletto,” as well as Wagner's “Tannhauser” and “Lohengrin,” to name just a few."

"Adolphe Edouard Sax

(1859-1945)"

"Adolphe Sax had five children.  His youngest son, Adolphe Edouard, was born in 1859.  After his father's death in 1894, Adolphe Edouard took over the Sax workshop in Paris.  The great Sax dynasty finally came to an end in 1928 with the sale of Adolphe Edouard's business to Henri Selmer."