Orchestral Saxophone Trivia Quiz

Answer: Woodwind

As it is a woodwind instrument, the saxophone joins that section of the orchestra when required. It usually sits beside the bass clarinet, in front of the horns. Unfortunately, the saxophone has never managed to become a regular member of the orchestra but modern composers are using it with more and more frequency.

Answer: Maurice Ravel

One of his greatest works, Mussorgsky's suite of ten movements for piano has been orchestrated many times. The work was written as a memorial to his friend Viktor Hartmann and represents the composer wandering through an exhibition of Hartmann's paintings and designs.

The first person to orchestrate it in its entirety was the Slovenian violinist and arranger, Leo Funtek (1885-1965) in 1922. That same year, Ravel made his famous orchestration. Ravel's version has proven to be by far the most popular.

While he has been accused of taking certain liberties with Mussorgsky's original, Ravel's indisputable mastery of orchestration is everywhere evident in his orchestral version. The other options given above have each produced orchestrations of the piece also.

Answer: Piano Concerto in F

Several of Gershwin's famous pieces include saxophone(s)--whether orchestrated by himself, by Ferde Grofe, or by someone else. His famous "Piano Concerto in F", however, does not include a part for saxophone.

Answer: Barber

Leonard Bernstein included saxophone in several works, notably his "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story". Aaron Copland included saxophone in a handful of pieces, one being his "Piano Concerto". Charles Ives employed an alto saxophone in his remarkable "Symphony no.4".

Unfortunately, Samuel Barber--composer of the famous "Adagio for Strings"--never included saxophone in his orchestral music.

Answer: True

Richard Strauss' "Symphonia Domestica" includes parts for four saxophones (soprano in C, alto in F, baritone in F and bass in C!). However, there is an interesting mix-up behind their inclusion. Strauss had intended the parts to be for saxhorns but he made a mistake with the name of the instrument.

At a rehearsal before the premiere of the work Strauss quizzed the conductor about the strange-looking instruments sitting in the orchestra. The conductor answered that they were the saxophones he had called for. Strauss realized his mistake and allowed them to stay, but designated their use as 'ad libitum'.

He himself never used them when he conducted the piece.

Answer: The Creation of the World

Milhaud's "La Creation du monde" of 1923 is one of the very first major works by a classical composer to be directly inspired by jazz. Milhaud features the saxophone in an almost concertante role throughout the work. In its original instrumentation, the saxophone replaces the viola as part of a 'string quartet'.

The piece is sometimes performed with augmented strings, but still without violas. "Krazy Kat" is an early jazz-inspired piece by John Alden Carpenter. "Uirapuru" is an early ballet by Heitor Villa-Lobos that includes a soprano saxophone. "Machines agricoles" is another work by Milhaud.

Answer: The Love for Three Oranges Suite

The great Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev, used the saxophone with surprising regularity. His "Alexander Nevsky Cantata", "Lieutenant Kije Suite", and "Romeo and Juliet" all include prominent tenor saxophone parts with several solos. His "Ivan the Terrible" music and "Egyptian Nights Suite" also include parts for saxophone.

Answer: nos. 6 & 9

Ralph Vaughan Williams is probably best known for works such as his "Fantasia on Greensleeves", "The Lark Ascending", and "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis". He was also a wonderful symphonist. Of his nine symphonies, numbers 6 and 9 include saxophone(s). Symphony no.6 includes a demanding part for tenor saxophone and Symphony no.9 includes three saxophones (two altos and a tenor).

He also included an alto saxophone in his "Job: A Masque for Dancing".

Answer: False

Rachmaninov gave an alto saxophone a prominent solo in his "Symphonic Dances" of 1940. Interestingly, it has been speculated (by musicologist David Brown) that this was as a tribute to his former friend Glazunov who had passed away in 1936. Glazunov had been responsible for the disastrous premiere of Rachmaninov's first symphony; he apparently conducted the work drunk. Glazunov's last major work was his "Saxophone Concerto" of 1934. Perhaps Rachmaninov included a saxophone in his own last major work as a posthumous peace-offering to his former friend.

Answer: L'Arlesienne

Bizet's incidental music for the play "L'Arlesienne" (The Woman of Arles) by Alphonse Daudet includes a very prominent part for alto saxophone, featuring several solos. Bizet assembled a suite from the incidental music and a second suite was arranged by Ernest Guiraud. Both suites are regularly performed and recorded.