“Flying Saxophone Circus” = SHOSTAKOVICH: Jazz Suite No. 2; DVORAK: Slavonic Dances Nos. 1, 7 & 8; MILHAUD: Scaramouche; GERSHWIN: American Stories Suite; JEAN MATITIA: Devil’s Rag for 12 Saxophones – Selmer Saxharmonic/Milan Turkovic – MD&G multichannel (& 2x2x2) SACD 910 1625-6, 59:01 [Distr. by E1] *****:
I’ve shared before that I’m a pushover for saxophone quartets. Add one or two saxes and I’m even more pleased. So imagine my joy on seeing this is a dozen-saxophone ensemble, plus the terrific surround sound engineering of MD&G. It seems a number of fine sax ensembles have been coming out of Germany recently, competing with those in the birthplace of Adolph Sax’s versatile instrument as well as all around the world. I just reviewed the acclaimed Quintessence sax quintet’s DVD; they’re also of German origin.
Twelve of Germany’s most distinguished classical saxophonists formed Selmer Saxharmonic in 2006. They work with sophisticated transcriptions of all types of pieces, arranged to give them an instrumental spectrum running from subtle chamber music style to practically full symphonic power. Their ensemble encompasses all the members of the saxophone family, from sopranino to bass, for the fullest sound. The first three of the five works here were transcribed by Christoph Enzel, one of three tenor sax players in the ensemble.
The Jazz Suite No. 2 is an example of the lighter music of Shostakovich. With this great arrangement it sounds like if it hadn’t been originally written for a dozen saxophones, it should have been. The rich sound of the group doesn’t leave one wishing for the full symphonic version in any way. Though the saxophone may not be an authentic Czech folk instrument, it makes Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances a thorough-going delight.
For me the highlight of the SACD is the group’s wonderful transcription for a dozen saxes of Darius Milhaud’s witty and sparkling three-movement Scaramouche suite. I think it’s one of the most delightful pieces of French music ever penned, and its composer wrote more works for saxophone than any other composer in the first half of the 20th century. It’s unclear what the instrumentation of his original work was. It might have been for solo saxophone and orchestra, or sax and piano, or for two pianos. (I enjoyably recall as a youth informally playing it as a piano four hands version with another pianist [female/cute] on a ship crossing the Atlantic.) Anyway, it’s an absolute delight with a dozen saxes surrounding you!
The little Gershwin medley includes some of his best songs: The Man I Love, Liza and I Got Rhythm among them. And Matitia’s wild little Devil’s Rag wraps up the program in spectacular fashion.
Harold Land Quintet – The Peace-Maker – Universal Music Group
An excellent addition to the Verve By Request vinyl reissue series.
