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Didnyou know that the saxophone was named for its inventor?
Didnyou know that the saxophone was named for its inventor?n
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nAntoine-Josephn(nickname Adolphe) Sax, born on this day in 1814, was a Belgiannmusician. His father designed musical instruments, and Sax must’venlearned from good old dad, because he started doing the same at annearly age. He entered his own instruments into a competition when henwas just 15 years old.
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Saxnplayed the flute and the clarinet, and after leaving the Royal Schoolnof Singing in Brussels, he fiddled around with new instrumentndesigns. His first important invention was an improvement of the bassnclarinet. Another important invention was a valved bugle—actually,nhe developed a series of valved bugles—that were such annimprovement over earlier bugles, his invention spread all over thenworld and our valves today are essentially unchanged from his. Sax’snvalved bugles became known as saxhorns.
Saxnplayed the flute and the clarinet, and after leaving the Royal Schoolnof Singing in Brussels, he fiddled around with new instrumentndesigns. His first important invention was an improvement of the bassnclarinet. Another important invention was a valved bugle—actually,nhe developed a series of valved bugles—that were such annimprovement over earlier bugles, his invention spread all over thenworld and our valves today are essentially unchanged from his. Sax’snvalved bugles became known as saxhorns.n
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nAfternsaxhorns, Sax invented the saxotromba family. Like the bugles, thesenwere valved brass instruments.
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nAndnafter that, there was of course the saxophone!
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nTheseninventions secured Sax’s reputation and a teaching job at the ParisnConservatory. n
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n(Didnyou recognize Bill Clinton, former U.S. president, in that secondnvideo? This was made just a year before he was elected president!)
