Koechlin, Charles - 15 Etudes for Saxophone & Piano
This set of etudes, written in 1943, are a delightfully French collection of short pieces focusing on various elements of technique. What sets these etudes apart is firstly that they are accompanied and secondly that they are very strong pieces of music in and of themselves. A recent edition has strangely removed many of the barlines and bar numbers, so it's best to use the "Etudes, for Alto Saxophone" rather than the similarly titled "15 etudes, Op.188, for Alto Saxophone", both of which are published, confusingly, by Billaudot. A partial, posthumous premiere took place in 1963 by Jean-Marie Londeix with Pierre Max Dubois accompanying, in Brussels, Belgium. The etudes vary quite wildly in difficulty but all fit with in a light French style. The names of the 12 etudes are as follows:
Koechlin, Charles - Etudes
1. Pour les traits rapides
2. Pour les sons liés et le charme de la sonorité
3. Pour les arpèges
4. Pour la douceur des attaques
5. Pour le charme du son dans un mouvement vif
6. Pour le style soutenu et doux en sons liés
7. Pour les sons liés et le charme de la sonorité
8. Pour les notes en staccato et le mélange de legato et staccato
9. Pour la longeur de la respiration et l'égalité du son
10. Pour la qualité du son dans un style sontenu et pour les nuances
11. Pour la solidité du rythme
12. Pour l'égalité du son et pour les nuances
13. Pour la légèreté du son
14. Pour une sonorité soutenue et expressive, pour la douceur du grave et de l'aigue
15. Pour les accents qui doivent donner le rythme de la phrase
Google translated (!):
1. For quick strokes
2. For linked sounds and the charm of the sound
3. For arpeggios
4. For the sweetness of the attacks
5. For the charm of sound in a lively movement
6. For sustained style and soft in related sounds
7. For linked sounds and the charm of the sound
8. For staccato notes and the mixture of legato and staccato
9. For the length of the breath and the equality of the sound
10. For the quality of the sound in a style and for the nuances
11. For the strength of the rhythm
12. For the equality of the sound and for the nuances
13. For the lightness of sound
14. For a sustained and expressive sound, for the sweetness of bass and treble
15. For accents that must give the rhythm of the sentence
There are many technical aspects to consider, but adding low C# to some of the low Ds will enable them to speak more readily at a low volume, just watch out that the tuning doesn't drift too high.
The collection is very beautiful, and one can see Koechlin's preoccupation with beauty of sound and phrasing rather than cold technical challenges. Robert Orledge, said "with their rhythmic interest, direct approach, formal simplicity, and balanced lengths, the saxophone studies form the most attractive group amongst Koechlin's later wind pieces." It is here then, in such works that technique and true music combine most convincingly.
Koechlin, Charles - Etudes
1. Pour les traits rapides
2. Pour les sons liés et le charme de la sonorité
3. Pour les arpèges
4. Pour la douceur des attaques
5. Pour le charme du son dans un mouvement vif
6. Pour le style soutenu et doux en sons liés
7. Pour les sons liés et le charme de la sonorité
8. Pour les notes en staccato et le mélange de legato et staccato
9. Pour la longeur de la respiration et l'égalité du son
10. Pour la qualité du son dans un style sontenu et pour les nuances
11. Pour la solidité du rythme
12. Pour l'égalité du son et pour les nuances
13. Pour la légèreté du son
14. Pour une sonorité soutenue et expressive, pour la douceur du grave et de l'aigue
15. Pour les accents qui doivent donner le rythme de la phrase
Google translated (!):
1. For quick strokes
2. For linked sounds and the charm of the sound
3. For arpeggios
4. For the sweetness of the attacks
5. For the charm of sound in a lively movement
6. For sustained style and soft in related sounds
7. For linked sounds and the charm of the sound
8. For staccato notes and the mixture of legato and staccato
9. For the length of the breath and the equality of the sound
10. For the quality of the sound in a style and for the nuances
11. For the strength of the rhythm
12. For the equality of the sound and for the nuances
13. For the lightness of sound
14. For a sustained and expressive sound, for the sweetness of bass and treble
15. For accents that must give the rhythm of the sentence
There are many technical aspects to consider, but adding low C# to some of the low Ds will enable them to speak more readily at a low volume, just watch out that the tuning doesn't drift too high.
The collection is very beautiful, and one can see Koechlin's preoccupation with beauty of sound and phrasing rather than cold technical challenges. Robert Orledge, said "with their rhythmic interest, direct approach, formal simplicity, and balanced lengths, the saxophone studies form the most attractive group amongst Koechlin's later wind pieces." It is here then, in such works that technique and true music combine most convincingly.