Transcribing string music for saxophone- a presentation of Claude

University of Iowa

Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations

Spring 2013

Transcribing string music for saxophone: a presentation of Claude Debussy's Cello Sonata for baritone saxophone Nathan Bancroft Bogert University of Iowa

Copyright 2013 Nathan Bancroft Bogert This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2442 Recommended Citation Bogert, Nathan Bancroft. "Transcribing string music for saxophone: a presentation of Claude Debussy's Cello Sonata for baritone saxophone." DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, 2013. http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2442.

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TRANSCRIBING STRING MUSIC FOR SAXOPHONE: A PRESENTATION OF CLAUDE DEBUSSY'S CELLO SONATA FOR BARITONE SAXOPHONE

by Nathan Bancroft Bogert

An essay submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa May 2013 Essay Supervisor: Associate Professor Kenneth Tse

Copyright by NATHAN BANCROFT BOGERT 2013 All Rights Reserved

Graduate College The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL _______________________ D.M.A. ESSAY _______________ This is to certify that the D.M.A. Essay of Nathan Bancroft Bogert has been approved by the Examining Committee for the essay requirement for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the May 2013 graduation.

Essay Committee: __________________________________ Kenneth Tse, Essay Supervisor __________________________________ Matthew Arndt __________________________________ Benjamin Coelho __________________________________ Andrew Parker __________________________________ Kristin Thelander

To GorgeousMa

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to begin by thanking my family, whose unending support for my career in music has been the catalyst for any successes I have had. I have learned so much from a set of mentors who have provided me with the tools to grow as both a musician and as a person. I am so grateful to all of my saxophone teachers. Many thanks to Mr. Ron Jones, Dr. George Wolfe, Dr. Kenneth Tse, and Dr. Eugene Rousseau. Their advice has been invaluable to my development as a performer, colleague, and teacher, and I will always cherish their contributions to my career. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Anthony Arnone, professor of cello at the University of Iowa and Dr. Taimur Sullivan, professor of saxophone at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The knowledge and expertise that these men contributed to my research was enormous, and I am indebted to them for their generosity.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. vi INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 1: THE MOTIVE FOR TRANSCRIPTION ...................................... 4 Defending the Performance of Transcriptions .......................................... 4 Why Arrange Debussy’s Cello Sonata for Saxophone? ............................ 6 CHAPTER 2: THE SELECTION PROCESS ....................................................... 9 Comparing Saxophones to Strings ............................................................ 9 Criteria for Choosing a Composition to Arrange .................................... 12 Basic Tenets of Transcribing String Music for Saxophone ..................... 14 CHAPTER 3: ADAPTING SCORES WRITTEN FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS FOR THE SAXOPHONE .............................. 15 Fundamental Steps in Arranging String Music for Saxophone ...............

Range and the Use of Altissimo ..............................................................

Prologue .......................................................................................

Sérénade ......................................................................................

Finale ...........................................................................................

Adapting Multiple Stopping in String Music for Saxophone Performance ..................................................................

Prologue .......................................................................................

Sérénade ......................................................................................

Finale ...........................................................................................

Multiple Tonguing ...................................................................................

Interpreting Score Markings Intended for Stringed Instruments .............

Pizzicato: To Slap or not to Slap? ...............................................

Vibrato .........................................................................................

Portando .......................................................................................

Sur la Touche ...............................................................................

Sur le Chevalet ............................................................................

15 17 19 26 31 35 36 37 38 42 45 45 50 53 54 55

CONCLUSION ................................................................................................... 57 APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE NOTES FOR DEBUSSY’S CELLO SONATA ...................................................................... 59

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APPENDIX B: EDITORIAL NOTES ................................................................. 62 Prologue ................................................................................................... 62 Sérénade .................................................................................................. 62 Finale ...................................................................................................... 63 APPENDIX C: DEBUSSY’S CELLO SONATA ADAPTED FOR BARITONE SAXOPHONE .......................................................................... 64 Sonata (Prologue) .................................................................................... 65 Sérénade et Finale .................................................................................... 68 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 75

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LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.

Range and pitch labeling ............................................................................ 19

2.

Measures 5-11 of Prologue from saxophone part ...................................... 20

3.

Fingering option for G6 in measure 6 ....................................................... 20

4.

Fingering option for G6 in measure 7 ....................................................... 21

5.

Measure 19 of Prologue from saxophone part .......................................... 21

6.

Fingering option for F#6 ........................................................................... 23

7.

Fingering option for A6 ............................................................................. 23

8.

Measure 37 of Prologue from saxophone part .......................................... 24

9.

Fingering option for A6 ............................................................................. 24

10.

Final four measures of Prologue from saxophone part ............................. 25

11.

Fingering option for F#7 ........................................................................... 26

12.

Measures 7-8 of Sérénade from saxophone part ....................................... 27

13.

Measures 47-50 of Sérénade from saxophone part ................................... 27

14.

Altissimo fingering diagram ...................................................................... 28

15.

Measures 23-24 of Sérénade from saxophone part ................................... 29

16.

Measure 60 of Sérénade from saxophone part .......................................... 30

17.

Fingering option for G#6 ........................................................................... 30

18.

Measures 7-17 of Finale from saxophone part .......................................... 31

19.

Fingering options for E7 and D#7 ............................................................. 32

20.

Measures 41-44 of Finale from saxophone part ........................................ 32

21.

Fingering option for C7 ............................................................................. 32

22.

Measures 81-82 of Finale from saxophone part ........................................ 34

23.

Measures 105-111 of Finale from saxophone part .................................... 34

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24.

Measure 115 of Finale from saxophone part ............................................. 35

25.

Final two measures of Prologue from original cello part .......................... 36

26.

Measures 5-7 of Sérénade from saxophone part ....................................... 37

27.

Measures 19-22 of Finale from saxophone part ........................................ 38

28.

Measures 23-30 of Finale from saxophone part ........................................ 39

29.

Measures 33-36 of Finale from saxophone part ........................................ 39

30.

Measures 112-114 of Finale from saxophone part .................................... 41

31.

Measures 120-123 of Finale from saxophone part .................................... 42

32.

Measures 69-73 of Finale from saxophone part ........................................ 44

33.

Examples of articulation ............................................................................ 47

34.

Measure 1 of Sérénade from original cello part ........................................ 48

35.

Measure 10 of Sérénade from saxophone part .......................................... 48

36.

Measures 6-7 of Sérénade from original cello part ................................... 49

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1 INTRODUCTION Both as an audience member and as a performer, I have been fortunate to encounter many transcriptions. These musical experiences have enriched my musical life and have also led me to realize that I enjoy playing music not originally written for the saxophone and value the pedagogical aspects of studying transcriptions. It also means a great deal to me that through the performance of transcriptions, I have been able to encourage my students’ interest in the work of important composers whose music predates the saxophone.

As a classical saxophonist, I have often been frustrated by the lack of original saxophone music by some of my favorite composers. This unfortunate circumstance has often led me to seek out transcriptions and/or arrangements of music that was originally written for other instruments. I am certain that playing the violin sonatas of G. F. Handel in the early years of my saxophone studies has contributed to my enduring interest in performing, studying, and teaching transcriptions.

After beginning my graduate studies, I began to experiment with various string compositions that may have been previously believed to be beyond the capabilities of the saxophone. The most memorable of these experiments was the performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 with a saxophone quartet of which I was a member. The numerous challenges we faced in adapting the original music for saxophones were not only demanding and exciting, but the rewarding feeling I had after performing Shostakovich’s quartet is something I will always remember.

2 After encountering a great deal of scrutiny and criticism upon performing that transcription, I began to think of how we might have played the music more convincingly to string instrumentalists. Rather than attempt to convince any other musicians of the importance or validity of performing transcriptions, I thought it best to try to fully understand the music I wished to transcribe—thinking that this would be the most effective means of achieving the highest level of performance. I decided that it would be quite beneficial for saxophonists to identify some of the many issues involved in transcription and to offer strategies and solutions to help bridge the gap between the ambitions of saxophonists and the steadfast traditions of (in this case) string players.

I tried thinking of myself as an aspiring cellist studying a new piece. After choosing Debussy's cello sonata and completing an unaltered arrangement for baritone saxophone, I consulted a cellist in order to understand better the tradition of performance, practice, and pedagogy in the cellist’s world. Finally, I asked two saxophonists, one with a wealth of experience arranging string music for saxophone and the other a specialist in the baritone saxophone, for their reactions. With that input, I was able to refine my arrangement and am now able to explain how I created it.

With the help of others whose knowledge exceeds that of the arranger, the arranger can create a transcription that has the potential to provide greater understanding among musicians of various disciplines. One of the major tenets of this project is that this kind of collaboration brings great depth and richness to developing any transcription but especially if it involves arranging for instruments from different

3 families than those for which the music was first written. Those who want to respect and be as true as possible to the original music should take extra care when transcribing and arranging various compositions.

This manuscript will identify key issues that arise when one is arranging string music for saxophone. It will treat strategies and solutions for resolving them. Finally, it will present my demonstration of this process through an arrangement of Claude Debussy's Sonate pour violoncelle et piano.

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CHAPTER 1 THE MOTIVE FOR TRANSCRIPTION Defending the Performance of Transcriptions In 1844, Hector Berlioz hosted a recital in Paris featuring arrangements of his own music for six of Adolphe Sax’s new instruments. Berlioz’s early endorsement of the saxophone was certain to have aided Sax in procuring the talents of other noteworthy composers such as Jules Demersseman, Hyacinthe Klosé, Jean-Baptiste Singelée, and Joseph Arban to write for saxophones. Nonetheless, the early repertoire of the saxophone was necessarily rich with transcriptions.1 Many of the saxophone’s earliest virtuosi regularly performed music first written for other instruments. Along with original saxophone music, they often incorporated transcriptions of showpieces for violin and flute into their recital programs. Nineteenth-century saxophone virtuosi often performed transcriptions.2 Fred Hemke points out that saxophonists Louis Mayeur, Henry Wuille, and Thomas Ryan all performed transcriptions that were received with great enthusiasm, often because the transcriptions enabled them to play recognizable works.3

1 Richard Ingham, The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998), 52.

2 Fred Hemke, “The Early History of the Saxophone” (PhD diss., University of WisconsinMadison, 1975).

3 Hemke, “The Early History of the Saxophone.”

5 Despite this long history of saxophonists performing transcriptions since the earliest years of the instrument’s existence, there are many saxophonists who believe that transcriptions, however effective as teaching tools, should remain solely in the realm of education and not be programed for public performances. In a 1984 review in the Saxophone Symposium, Dr. Paul Cohen decries the performance of transcriptions in a performance by saxophonist Laura Hunter in New York: That Ms. Hunter should program this transcription, considering the abundance of original literature for the soprano saxophone, is perplexing if not regrettable. Transcriptions of this type are appropriate for stylistic study, student recitals, and demonstrations. Whatever purpose they might serve on a formal professional presentation escapes this observer; such programming can only reflect on the maturity of the performer.4 Along with other saxophonists, some of whom are provoked to vitriol by such assertions, I vehemently disagree. I believe that transcriptions are not only suitable for public performance but provide an avenue through which musicians can establish understanding—an understanding that would encourage the kinds of work dependent on such enriching collaboration. Just as the early saxophone virtuosi performed transcriptions to highlight the capabilities of their still relatively unknown instrument, modern saxophonists can also turn to such arrangements in order to accomplish the same goals.

Despite the abundance of great original music for the saxophone, the study of music from periods that predate the saxophone is of the utmost importance for aspiring saxophonists. In order for saxophonists to be well-rounded performers and teachers, it

4 Paul Cohen, “Concert Reviews,” Saxophone Symposium 9/2 (Spring 1984): 29.

6 is necessary that they study the music of Beethoven, Mozart, Handel, and Bach, among others. The majority of saxophonists are more familiar with the music of Berio, Stockhausen, Boulez, and other major composers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries than they are with the music of C. P. E. Bach, Brahms, and Beethoven. It is nonetheless important for saxophonists to study the music from which so many modern composers have drawn inspiration.

Why Arrange Debussy’s Cello Sonata for Saxophone?

If there is a single piece that exemplifies the value of arranging string music for saxophone, I believe that Debussy’s cello sonata is a prime candidate. Given that so much of this sonata is based on imitation (invoking the spirit of the guitar in numerous places), it is obvious in looking at this piece, and many others that predate it, that imitating other instruments is a well-founded tradition and a valuable learning tool. It is also the case that Debussy’s cello sonata works particularly well when played on the baritone saxophone. Every year, despite the increasing library of original compositions for the saxophone, the number of transcriptions has also grown, and the study and performance of transcriptions have remained important to saxophonists.5 Although the majority of saxophonists acknowledge the value of transcriptions related to the development of musicianship, Paul Cohen is not alone is arguing that transcriptions should not be programed in public performances. Renowned French 5 Lee Patrick, “Transcriptions, Then and Now,” Saxophone Journal 17/6 (May/June 1993): 24.

7 saxophonist Jean-Marie Londeix is often cited for his belief that saxophonists have a responsibility to place a priority on performing original saxophone music in order to remain relevant in the global music community.6 Others argue, however, that saxophonists need to include transcriptions in public performances. Saxophonist Lee Patrick writes, for example, that transcriptions are “a common ground where saxophonists and general audiences can meet.”7 Despite the existence of original music for the saxophone since that instrument’s early days, saxophonists have often supplemented concert programs with transcriptions. Over time, this fairly standard practice has evolved to exploit the versatility of the saxophone as an instrument. Rather than simply borrowing compositions from other woodwind instruments, saxophonists are often heard performing transcriptions of pieces written for the violin—particularly the more virtuosic pieces, so as to show the technical capabilities of their instrument.

Pieces from the string repertoire continue to be arranged by saxophonists based on a popular belief that the pieces they choose are quality compositions (for instance, a saxophonist arranging Beethoven’s 5th Symphony for saxophone choir). Although I will discuss the more specific criteria I used in selecting Claude Debussy’s cello sonata of 1915, most musicians who do their own arrangements choose certain works for reasons similar to those of Dr. Kenneth Tse, saxophone professor at the University of Iowa School of Music. When asked about how he begins his selection process, Dr. 6 James Umble, Jean-Marie Londeix: Master of the Modern Saxophone (Cherry Hill, New Jersey: Roncorp, 2000), 108.

7 Patrick, “Transcriptions, Then and Now,” 25.

8 Tse offered the following comment: “Whenever I hear a piece and think it would work well for any of the saxophones, I purchase it.”8 In this document, I will deal primarily with any areas of conflict between the capabilities of the original instruments and those used in the transcriptions (e.g., string techniques and range) by offering practical solutions for performance. These strategies and performance suggestions will aid other saxophonists in arranging string music for saxophone and are useful to other instrumentalists who wish to arrange music written outside of their instrument’s family. Ranging from the selection of a piece to transcribe to solutions for musical issues (i.e. range, articulation, etc.), these guidelines are intended to ensure that future arrangements done by saxophonists and other musicians “work well” and help provide a common ground among musicians.9 Arranging string music for the saxophone can be seen, therefore, as an adaptable model.

8 Thomas Erdmann, “Kenneth Tse,” Saxophone Journal 31/6 (July/August 2007): 30-32.

9 Erdmann, “Kenneth Tse,” 30-32.

9 CHAPTER 2 THE SELECTION PROCESS Comparing Saxophones to Strings Before deciding on a composition to transcribe and for which saxophone to arrange it, it is necessary to compare the most commonly heard members of the saxophone family (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone) to their string counterparts (violin, viola, cello, and double bass). The two predominant factors in this selection process are range and timbre. Having conducted very basic research into the ranges of the various stringed instruments and listened exhaustively to comparisons between stringed instruments and the four most commonly heard members of the saxophone family, I believe that the most analogous pairing of instruments from these two families is the baritone saxophone and the cello.

Keeping in mind that the range of the baritone saxophone and the cello are essentially the same, the issue of timbre is next to be considered. After listening to many recordings of the cello, I realized that I was most focused on the speed of the vibrato. I recognized that my ears had honed in on a particular component of the cello sound, and so I turned to my own instrument in an attempt to understand why I was drawn to vibrato while listening to cello recordings.

After a short period of experimentation, I realized that the baritone saxophone could, in fact, mimic some of the timbral characteristics of the cello—particularly through the use of various vibrato speeds, dynamic ranges, and types of articulations.

Although I cannot achieve the same timbre as that of the cello, the timbral similarities between the two instruments constituted a key part of my choice of the cello for which

10 to transcribe a piece of music. Fortunately, after my initial meeting with cello professor Anthony Arnone of the University of Iowa School of Music, I became aware of more ways in which the cello could be imitated, especially when he suggested that I ought to try to not play with such a “heavy sound.”

Professor Arnone refers here to the density of the saxophone’s tone in comparison to the lighter sound of the cello, which is created by the richness of overtones heard in the cello’s tone. Although this comment confirmed my original belief that the baritone saxophone is incapable of sounding exactly like a cello, it also convinced me that crucial to approaching that sound would be to pinpoint methods for accentuating the similarities between the cello and baritone saxophone. In order to mimic the cello in as many ways as possible, highlighting the innate similarities of the two instruments became a priority. Just as cellists create various sounds through manipulating the strings of their instrument, so can a saxophonist experiment with many different sounds by altering the air stream, placing more or less pressure on the reed, experimenting with vibrato, and using the enormous dynamic range of the saxophone.

When choosing a pair of instruments, saxophonists should establish good reasoning for settling on a particular pair in order to understand why not to choose other pairs. In a discussion of his arrangement of Cesar Franck's Violin Sonata in A Major for baritone saxophone, Todd Oxford dedicates an entire section to the defense of register changes he deems necessary.10 These types of changes are exactly the kind 10 Todd Oxford, “A Transcription of César Franck’s Sonata in A major for the Baritone Saxophone” (DMA Thesis, University of Texas at Austin, 2001).

11 that I look to avoid in my arrangement of Claude Debussy’s cello sonata because my own experiences makes clear to me that the kinds of changes made by Dr. Oxford are exactly those that create disagreement among instrumentalists. With issues like tempo, phrasing, and dynamics also being the impetus for heated debate among musicians, I hope to avoid such issues altogether by maintaining the foundational traits of the original music (pitch, range, composer’s markings, tempo, etc.)

The essential question that provokes so much debate is whether it is possible to retain the integrity of the original music if its range extends both above and below the range of the instrument for which the music is being transcribed. Given that range affects timbre so greatly, to change the range (in the case of the Franck Sonata, for example, by moving the passages down an entire octave) is to alter the timbre a great deal. Knowing that timbre affects a composer's original choice of instrument for which to compose, changing the timbre by altering the range is one way, some could argue, that the original character of the music is diluted. This type of dilution is another issue that can undermine the validity of a transcription for those who perform the original music (in this case, cellists).

Criteria for Choosing a Composition to Arrange In order to avoid this type of conflict, the goal is to find a composition that meets two key criteria. The first is that the music should have been the focus of enough research to help the transcriber acquire an in-depth understanding of both the history of the composition and also the history of its performance practice. In

12 arranging such a piece, a significant work, albeit a transcription, will be added to the saxophone repertoire. The second criterion is that the piece should contain very few, if any, techniques that are impossible to duplicate on the saxophone (large numbers of quadruple stops, for instance). This ensures that it is possible for the arrangement to capture the spirit of the original composition.

Using these criteria, I examined the music of composers for whose work I have an affinity. As a saxophonist, much of the repertoire I have performed as a soloist has been from the twentieth century, and I thought I might build on the knowledge I have gathered in those explorations. With this in mind, I began listening to the cello repertoire from the early twentieth century.

I also chose this era because the saxophone repertoire lacks very many notable compositions from the first three decades of the 1900s (and earlier). I wanted to investigate the music of Debussy because he is one of the more illustrious composers from that era who actually did compose for the saxophone and because other works of his have been arranged for the saxophone. The saxophone community’s familiarity with the music of Debussy is something I hope will make these musicians receptive to this transcription.

I listened to Debussy’s cello sonata, which he composed toward the end of his life. I realized that he had used the cello in a way that highlights the versatility of that instrument’s timbre. Looking at the score of Debussy's cello sonata confirmed that the work not only fits my criteria but that the many sounds extracted from the cello appealed to my aural palate.

13 Given Debussy’s status as one of the great composers of the early twentieth century, it is hardly surprising that there exists a large amount of both historical and analytical writing about his compositions. In addition to an abundance of studies that concentrate specifically on Debussy’s cello sonata, there are also many studies of the historical context of Debussy’s late works. These look at Debussy’s personal correspondence, the First World War, and the unfortunate unfolding of his later years and provide a wealth of information that was relevant to my task.

Debussy’s cello sonata is an important work to cellists and is generally considered a “significant composition.” It has been recorded often and is performed regularly. Emilio Colon of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, the renowned cellist and cello teacher Janos Starker (also of the Jacobs School of Music), Sharon Robinson of the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Anthony Arnone of the University of Iowa School of Music all performed the Debussy cello sonata in the two years before I did this study, sometimes several times in a year.

The final step in verifying that Debussy’s cello sonata possessed all three of the traits needed for this project was to examine the cello part and assess the practicality of arranging it for the baritone saxophone. After exhaustive study and experimentation in playing it on the baritone saxophone, I became convinced that the Debussy possessed very few musical components that could not be arranged for this instrument. I turned then to the most challenging portion of the project—how to handle the many issues encountered when adapting string music for the saxophone.

14 Basic Tenets of Transcribing String Music for Saxophone One of the foundational ideals of this project was to provide saxophonists with a resource that explains the process of arranging string music for saxophone from beginning to end. Many of the processes explained here are what I find to be the necessary steps toward producing an arrangement that captures the spirit of the original music. Although I do not intend to challenge or dismiss others who have transcribed string music for the saxophone, I argue that the methods I delineate are the most effective way to do so. There are indeed many arrangements of string music for saxophone that employ some of the same methods I have described, but I have found very few that go as far to preserve the original music.

The most important part of my process is finding a work that meets the second criterion I developed for choosing a composition to transcribe for saxophone.

Specifically, I believe that in order to create an arrangement that represents the original music well, one must choose a piece that contains the smallest number of techniques that are impossible to perform on the saxophone. Despite the tremendous difficulty of the arrangement I have produced, there are relatively few changes to the original cello score. Choosing a composition according to the basic principles I lay out allows one to add to the saxophone repertoire, highlight the versatility of the saxophone, push the technical boundaries of saxophone performance, and most important, offer saxophonists an avenue to explore music from repertoires previously unavailable to them.

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CHAPTER 3 ADAPTING SCORES WRITTEN FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS FOR THE SAXOPHONE Fundamental Steps in Arranging String Music for Saxophone Any transcription involves a series of tasks. The simplest of these are those requiring no more than the basic copying of the various articulations, phrase markings, and musical terms as they appear in the original score. Such a transcription of pitches and other score markings is of great importance, a fundamental step in the process. It is, however, one of the few steps that does not require targeted research of issues less familiar to an arranger who does not play the instrument of the original work. In the case of string compositions, the original scores for stringed instruments include many markings that one never finds in a score for woodwind instruments. Pizzicato, arco, sur le chevalet, and harmonique are all examples. They are also all markings that require special attention from those who are not as familiar with their meaning and the demands they place on the performer.

In delving into these musical issues, it is important to call upon the expertise of those who specialize in the music being arranged. Transcribing Debussy’s cello sonata for baritone saxophone required the counsel of three experts—a cellist, a baritone saxophone virtuoso and a prolific and masterful saxophone arranger. Dr. Anthony Arnone, Professor of Cello at the University of Iowa School of Music offered his

16 expertise as a means to inform the arrangement from a cellist’s perspective. Without his help, this arrangement would not have come to include the instructions necessary to aid a saxophonist in capturing the spirit of the original music. In the same way that teachers pass along traditions of performance practice to their students, so did Dr. Arnone’s input help clarify performance issues related specifically to Debussy’s cello sonata.

The second teacher to bring his expertise to bear was Dr. Kenneth Tse, Professor of Saxophone at The University of Iowa. Dr. Tse ensured that the arrangement was presented in such a way that other saxophonists could approach the arrangement with relative ease. As a prolific arranger, he was able to provide a wealth of knowledge on the issues encountered in arranging. His suggestions on how to finetune the work saw me through one of the more tedious but critically important stages in the process.

Dr. Taimur Sullivan, baritone saxophonist with the world-renowned PRISM Saxophone Quartet and professor of saxophone at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts served as the baritone saxophone specialist for this project. Dr. Sullivan’s knowledge of the instrument and technical facility on the baritone saxophone ensured that the performance suggestions offered later in this thesis are accurate, practical, and efficient.

Another critical step is the basic analysis of the original composition’s structure and various harmonic events. Mapping the phrase structure within the movements is essential to adding breath marks to the saxophone arrangement.

Analyzing certain harmonic events aids the choice of specific notes in places where

17 triple and quadruple stops (ones not marked as arpeggiated chords) are found in the cello score and a performer cannot play so many notes in such a short time span. In the case of the cello part of the Debussy sonata, there are many practical places to add breath marks and very few chords that cannot be played as they are marked.

Nonetheless, it is important to perform these analyses in order to substantiate the alterations made for the final arrangement. Transcribing Debussy’s cello sonata, for example, required extra care due to the frequent fluctuation of clef in the original cello score. Often alternating between tenor, treble, and bass clefs, the transpositions into Eb (the key of the baritone saxophone) could not be automatic but had to be reviewed constantly in order to ensure the accuracy of pitch and range.

Range and the Use of Altissimo When arranging string music for saxophone, the use of the saxophone’s altissimo register is often required. The increased difficulty of musical passages that require the altissimo register necessitates discussion of the many different options saxophonists have (various fingerings, octave displacement, etc.). Debussy’s cello sonata poses many challenges related to range and the use of the saxophone’s altissimo register. Yet the flexibility of the baritone saxophone’s altissimo register offers saxophonists many performance solutions. Despite the difficulties in using the baritone saxophone’s altissimo register, the following section will provide practical performance solutions for the altissimo register that will enable a saxophonist to maintain the range of the original music.

18 In this section, the music will be provided along with a brief discussion of each passage and of how to better execute the crossing of the break into the altissimo register. The fingerings provided here are by no means definitive. They were chosen for reasons of pitch accuracy and ease of execution in the context of the passages found in Debussy’s cello sonata. My method for note production in the altissimo range is based on my own studies and opinions.

In the following discussions, reference to proper tongue position means that the back of the tongue should remain very high and that the middle and front of the tongue ought to be manipulated in order to further stabilize the note being played.

However, to discuss the exact tongue position of each note is beyond the scope of this document, and to do so would be to some extent irrelevant given that each person’s tongue is shaped differently. Mastery of the altissimo register can only be achieved through applied study and much practice.

The baritone saxophone is unique among the saxophones in that it requires, for the most part, an entirely separate system of fingerings in the altissimo register. The soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones all share with one another many fingerings in the altissimo range; however, the baritone saxophone shares only a select few fingerings with the other members of the saxophone family. Here, all references are to the transposed baritone saxophone score. The baritone saxophone sounds an octave and a major sixth below where written. However, for the sake of clarity, I will refer to the notes in the saxophone score as written pitches. Figure 1 is a display of this labeling system.

19 Figure 1. Range and pitch labeling

Prologue The first instance of the baritone saxophone score moving into the altissimo register occurs in the seventh measure of the first movement (Figure 1). Written as a G four lines above the staff (G6) in the saxophone score, each occurrence of the altissimo G is the destination of an ascending figure—the first beginning on beat one of measure 7 and arriving at the first G6 on beat two, and the second figure being on beat four of measure 6 and arriving at the next G6 on the downbeat of measure 8. The difficulty in executing the first altissimo G is a function of the rapid transition from the E6 that precedes it. Crossing the break from the normal range of the saxophone into the altissimo range can be extremely difficult. With the proper fingering and tongue position, however, it is possible to execute this transition smoothly and with

20 good intonation. Knowing this, it is no surprise that the most effective fingering for the G6 in measure 6 is a very simple one that requires a minimal amount of movement by the fingers. The most effective fingering for the G6 found in measure 6 can be seen in Figure 3.

Figure 2. Measures 5-11 of Prologue from saxophone part

The second G6 found in Figure 2 offers a different challenge. Although the notes that precede G6 in measure 7 offer more time to prepare one’s finger technique than those preceding the first G6, the challenge lies in the jump of nearly an octave from the A5 (the final note of measure 6) to the G6. The fingers have more time to move accurately in this instance, but the oral cavity must undergo a much more drastic change between A5 and G6 than between E6 and G6.

Figure 3. Fingering option for G6 in measure 6

21

Although this fingering is a particularly effective solution to the technical concerns in measure 6, it is not the most stable fingering available for the note G6. In order for the fingering found in Figure 3 to produce the desired sound and pitch, it is essential that the performer keep the back of the tongue very high in order to keep the note from cracking. There will also be difficulties involving pitch when using this fingering. Without adjustments, this fingering will produce a G6 that is very sharp, so the performer will need to lower the front of the tongue (while keeping the back very high) in order to bend the pitch downward, placing the note in tune.

A more stable fingering for the note G6 can be used in measure 7. The fingering in Figure 3 is commonly referred to as the scrunch fingering. This fingering is much less prone to crack and is more in tune than the fingering in Figure 3. The addition of fingers in Figure 4 is possible because the note preceding the G6 in measure 7 (the final note of measure 6) is half the speed of the note that precedes the first G6 (E6) in measure 6. Although Figures 3 and 4 display the two fingerings for G6 used throughout the sonata, there are multiple instances where the simple fingering is preferable due to the notes surrounding the note G6.

Figure 4. Fingering option for G6 in measure 7

22

In measure 19, the note G6 is enveloped by two F#6’s in a sixteenth-note triplet (seen in Figure 5).

Figure 5. Measure 19 of Prologue from saxophone part

The rate at which this G6 is approached and departed from requires that the performer select fingerings that provide less demanding technique. In this instance, I have found that what Eugene Rousseau refers to as the “second mode” works particularly well.11 The second-mode fingerings, while not as stable, require far fewer keys to be pressed and often require less coordination between the two hands.

This allows for the saxophonist to move between these fingerings with better fluency and frees up space to further consider intonation and tone quality. Since F#6 is within the normal range of the saxophone, the standard fingering for it is of a different mode than the fingering found in Figure 3—consequently I suggest the fingering found in Figure 3 for the G6 in measure 19. The fingering found in Figure 6 for F#6 offers technical ease, timbral similarity, and accuracy of pitch—all from lifting one finger while avoiding fingerings of two entirely different modes.

11 Eugene Rousseau, High Tones For Saxophone (Saint Louis: MMB Music, 2002).

23 Figure 6. Fingering option for F#6

The introduction of new altissimo fingerings in measure 19 is followed by the first appearance of the note A6—for which the fingering can be found in Figure 7. The G6 and F#6 that follow the A6 in measure 19 are once again played by using the fingerings in Figures 3 and 6. Measures 19 and 29, although rhythmically different, contain the same progression of notes in the saxophone part. Given that the difference in rhythm between measures 19 and 29 is only slight, the fingerings used in measure 19 are also recommended for measure 29.

Figure 7. Fingering option for A6

24 Figure 8. Measure 37 of Prologue from saxophone part

The next appearance of a passage containing notes in the altissimo register is in measure 37 (Figure 8). The difficulty associated with this passage is the speed at which the notes are played. In order to execute this passage with technical proficiency, the performer is required to use a fingering for the A6 that is somewhat unorthodox.

The fingerings in Figures 6 and 3 are suggested for the F#6 and G6 that precede the A6. In this instance, however, the A6 can be played by simply lifting all the fingers other than the octave key (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Fingering option for A6

The final four measures of the first movement contain a very difficult altissimo passage (Figure 10). This passage contains an F#7, one of the highest notes possible on the baritone saxophone, and in addition, the altissimo notes are separated by rather large intervals.

25

Figure 10. Final four measures of Prologue from saxophone part

The first altissimo note in Figure 10, the A6, can be played using the same fingering shown in Figure 7. The following note, a C#7, can be played using the fingering shown in Figure 14. It is difficult to move between A6 and C#7 because there can be very little, if any, movement inside the oral cavity. Rather than overcompensating for a higher note in the altissimo register by adding more pressure to the embouchure, it is important that the proper tongue position be obtained and held in order to properly execute the jump from A6 to C#7. The final note of the first movement is possibly the most difficult altissimo note in the entire piece. The only option for producing this note is to use a standard fingering for another note while producing a higher overtone. In this case, the fingering for E6 produces the F#7 with the most ease. The biggest challenges are playing this F#7 with excellent pitch and with a ppp dynamic marking . With the proper tongue position and embouchure pressure, it is certainly possible to effectively produce the note F#7 (fingering shown in Figure 11).

26

Figure 11. Fingering option for F#7

Sérénade The Sérénade does not pose as many challenges involving altissimo as do the surrounding movements. The most difficult aspect of the altissimo in the Sérénade is that nearly half of the altissimo notes are surrounded by very quick changes in register.

One other challenging element involving altissimo in the Sérénade is the incorporation of various articulations. In the following text, the altissimo is not discussed in the order that it appears but is treated in two categories: altissimo with registral concerns and altissimo made difficult by particular articulations.

The first example below (Figure 12) is taken from measures 7 and 8 of the Sérénade. After the arpeggiated chord (written as grace notes due to the unfamiliarity of arpeggiated chords to saxophonists) on the final eighth note of measure 7, there is a jump of an octave to the note C#7. Such a quick octave jump requires a keen sense of where to position the tongue in order to play the note both with good pitch and at a piano dynamic. The fingering used for C#7 in this instance is the same as that shown

27 in Figure 14. Measure 9 also contains the note C#7 and is also made difficult by a very large interval preceding the C#7. Figure 14’s fingering is again the most effective fingering for this note.

Figure 12. Measures 7-8 of Sérénade from saxophone part

Figure 13. Measures 47-50 of Sérénade from saxophone part

Measures 47-50 of the Sérénade provide additional examples of altissimo notes juxtaposed with figures in different registers. With the G5 at the end of measure 47 being nearly two octaves lower than the D7 on the downbeat of measure 48, the fingerings used for the altissimo notes require stability and pitch accuracy more than technical perfection. Fortunately, the tempo at which these notes are played makes this a possibility. The following diagrams seen in Figure 14 show each of the altissimo notes found in this excerpt and the fingerings used in both measures 48 and 50.

28 Figure 14. Altissimo fingering diagram D7

C#7

B6

A#6

G#6

There are other passages containing altissimo that are made difficult by the articulations and speed at which the altissimo notes are played. Unfortunately, there is not much in the way of fingerings that can be altered. For the most part, the fingerings used in these moments have been discussed previously. The final seven measures do pose a new challenge in that they require a bit of experimentation with the fingerings in order to facilitate proper execution of the notes written. While I have provided fingerings for each of the individual notes, there are some that may be altered (by leaving off a particular key for instance and depending on instrument model) in order to improve technical fluency.

Figure 15. Measures 23-24 of Sérénade from saxophone part

Figure 15 shows measures 23 and 24 from the Sérénade. In measure 21, the sempre pizzicato marking has led cellists to play these measures as though they were imitating the guitar. The imitation of the guitar stems from the programmatic elements

29 of Debussy’s cello sonata—specifically the mimicry of Pierrot’s guitar. When played on the cello, the imitation of a plucked guitar creates notes that have a distinct attack at the beginning but a certain amount of decay thereafter. In order to achieve this effect in the upper register of the baritone saxophone, the saxophonist must maintain a high back of the tongue in order to produce the notes without cracking and losing the pitch.

The position of the tongue becomes especially important at the end of measures 23 and 24, as there are altissimo notes to be played in the same style as the staccato sixteenth notes that precede them. The difficulty in articulating the G6 in measure 23 is coupled with the glissando down to D6. After articulating the G6, the back of the tongue must remain high while the front and middle are lowered in order to produce the glissando effect. The fingering for the G6 found in measure 23 is the same fingering seen in Figure 3.

Measure 24 uses the previously mentioned second mode of altissimo fingerings beginning on the third beat—starting, that is, with the F#6 on the second sixteenth note of the third beat. For the F#6 and the G6, the fingerings seen in Figures 6 and 3 can be used. The G#6 fingering from Figure 14 works well in this case.

The final occurrence of altissimo notes in the Sérénade is in measure 60 (the same figure appears in measure 61). For the F#6 and G6, as before, the second-mode fingerings from Figures 6 and 3 can be used. The G#6 in this case poses a new challenge in that the fingering for G#6 from Figure 14 is not technically feasible given the speed at which it must be played. Figure 16 shows the excerpt for which this new fingering for G#6 must be used, and Figure 16 offers a fingering that will effectively produce the note G#6.

30 Figure 16. Measure 60 of SĂŠrĂŠnade from saxophone part

Figure 17. Fingering option for G#6

31 Finale Figure 18. Measures 7-17 of Finale from saxophone part

Measure 7 of the final movement of Debussy’s cello part of the sonata offers the most difficult altissimo passage of the entire composition. Not only do measures 717 contain notes from the upper end of the baritone saxophone’s highest register, but these measures also feature a very fast sequence of notes that require the performer to employ unconventional fingerings in order to make the passage technically feasible.

The longer note values in measures 9-13 highlight the saxophonist’s execution of the altissimo notes and make poorer playing more obvious. This exposure places proper tongue position among the most important factors for the saxophonist to consider.

Aside from the notes E7 and D#7 introduced in measure 14, the fingerings used for the other altissimo notes in measures 7-17 can be found in earlier fingering diagrams. The fingerings for E7 and D#7 offered in Figure 19 are not ideal in terms of stability, but the extreme register increases the likelihood that the notes will crack and so requires that the fingerings be as economical as possible to prevent excess movement from affecting note production. These same problems occur when this phrase reappears in measure 91.

32 Figure 19. Fingering options for E7 and D#7 E7

D#7

Shortly after measures 7-17, the same melodic ideas appear in measures 39-45, only in this case the music is written a whole step down. This passage, seen in Figure 20, does not contain any new fingerings or notes that have not yet been discussed. I recommend that the saxophonist choose the more stable fingerings offered for the notes G6 and A6 in this passage given that there is ample time for both fingerings to be established.

Figure 20. Measures 41-44 of Finale from saxophone part

The C7 in measure 56 marks the first appearance of a C7 in the piece. The fingering for this C7 can be seen in Figure 21.

33 Figure 21. Fingering option for C7

The next appearance of altissimo is one of the more difficult passages in the sonata in that it not only requires altissimo but that the altissimo note comes amid a string of sixteenth-note triplets that require triple tonguing—another extended technique that makes playing the D#7 in measures 82 and 84 (seen in Figure 22) more difficult. But triple tonguing cannot actually be used on the D#7 because it is physically impossible to maintain the proper tongue position while triple tonguing a note in the altissimo register. The general rule of altissimo playing on the baritone saxophone is that the back of the tongue must remain very high in the back of the mouth. The syllables required for triple tonguing alter the position of the tongue too drastically to maintain a high back of the tongue. Quite simply, triple tonguing in the altissimo register is impossible. In order to tongue a D#7 at the speed required of measures 82 and 84, the air speed must be very fast; and only the tip of the tongue can touch the reed in a single-tongue execution. The D#7 fingering from Figure 19 can be used for measures 82 and 84.

34 Figure 22. Measures 81-82 of Finale from saxophone part

The final two occurrences of altissimo notes in the transposed saxophone part are in measures 106-112 and measure 115. As seen in Figure 23, there are no new notes for which to offer fingerings, and the concerns associated with Figure 23 echo those mentioned in previous discussions of passages containing altissimo notes.

Figure 23. Measures 105-111 of Finale from saxophone part

Figure 24 shows the final instance of altissimo in the piece. Found in measure 115, it is up to the saxophonist whether or not to use second-mode fingering for the F#6 that precedes the G#6. Using the second mode in this case makes the transition to the G#6 easier from a technical standpoint. I recommend, however, that the performer consider the presence of the F#6 both before and after the G#6. In order to maintain a consistent timbre throughout these few measures, I recommend using a standard fingering for the F#6.

35 Figure 24. Measure 115 of Finale from saxophone part

Adapting Multiple Stopping in String Music for Saxophone Performance One of the many issues encountered when transcribing string music for saxophone is the occurrence of multiple notes being played simultaneously. Often referred to as multiple stopping, the instances in which string instruments are asked to play multiple notes at once can create an insurmountable physical obstacle for saxophonists. Although the saxophone is capable of producing multiphonics (the sounding of multiple notes), the ability to choose which pitches are heard is fairly limited. Often, multiple stopping merely outlines conventional tertian chords. This further limits the saxophone’s ability to recreate multiple stops, as the instrument’s multiphonic options generally do not produce tertian chords. In many other transcriptions of string music for saxophone, the performer deals with this issue by playing the multiple stops as broken chords.

Similarly, in Debussy’s cello sonata, most of the multiple stopping is feasible for a saxophonist due to the arpeggiato markings. Although Debussy may not actually have been invoking the Pierrot story, the arpeggiato marking is traditionally taught as imitating the plucked guitar. Using that model, cellists strum the chords as quickly as

36 possible given the tempo markings. These instances require saxophonists to choose one note when a chord cannot be arpeggiated due to a tempo or other marking. In this section, I discuss all occurrences of multiple stops in Debussy’s cello sonata, explain the challenges of each, and offer solutions.

Prologue Figure 25. Final two measures of Prologue from original cello part

The final two measures of the cello version of the Prologue (seen above in Figure 25) contain the only instance of playing multiple notes simultaneously. Cellist Anthony Arnone confirms that the A should be the more pronounced of the two. Not only is the A the higher of the two pitches (causing it to emerge from the texture more than does the D below it), but I also believe that the octave interval between the final A and the note that precedes it (another A, only an octave lower) provides the best closure for the movement. Hence, the part I have arranged for baritone saxophone shows the final two measures with only the upper note. Written as an F#7, the final note of the Prologue offers an extraordinary challenge for the saxophonist with regard to range (discussed in chapter 4, beginning on page 18).

37 Sérénade Figure 26. Measures 5-7 of Sérénade from saxophone part

Measures 5-7 of the Sérénade are an excerpt that may seem self-explanatory to a cellist in terms of how to perform the music, but after listening to many different interpretations and considering Arnone’s observations, I found that this excerpt poses problems for saxophone performance. Although Debussy’s direction to play arpeggiated chords in the original cello part is very clear, the articulation atop the highest notes in these chords and the emulation of the guitar are not self-evident to saxophonists, who do not see such markings in their own music.

In order to emulate the guitar, the saxophonist must play the first two notes of the chord very short and then emphasize the top note on which there is a tenuto marking. This gives the desired effect of a guitarist rolling a chord upward, naturally causing the top notes to have the most length and resonance due to the natural decay of the notes that are articulated before the final note (in this case, the highest note) of the arpeggiated chord. My method of dealing with these arpeggiated chords is to write the lower members of the chord as grace notes. Figure 26 is an example of how these arpeggiated chords have been adapted in the saxophone part. Rather than leave the original chords in the saxophone part, I have chosen to indicate the same pitch content

38 in a manner more familiar to saxophonists. In measures 21 and 22 of the SĂŠrĂŠnade, the same chords appear and are adapted in the same way as those seen in Figure 26.

Finale The final movement of Debussy’s cello sonata is where the saxophonist again encounters techniques that cannot be reproduced on the saxophone. Measures 19-22 contain chords that are all marked arpeggiato. The tempo of the Finale makes rolling chords in a pizzicato style very difficult. Although this passage is quite difficult, playing the chords as written can be made easier by playing the lower members of the chords found in measures 19-22 as grace notes (as seen in the saxophone part). If unable to play the chords as written, I suggest that a saxophonist omit the grace notes written in measures 19-22 (seen in Figure 27).

Figure 27. Measures 19-22 of Finale from saxophone part

39 Figure 28. Measures 23-30 of Finale from saxophone part

Figure 28 is taken from the rubato section from measures 23-36. Once again the marking on each of the chords in the original cello part indicates that they are to be played as arpeggiated chords. Here, they are played differently than previous instances because the arpeggiato is effected over the course of a quarter note rather than only an eighth note. This difference in style is made possible by using the rubato marking in measure 23. These accompanimental chords are to be played as though a guitar were being plucked in a more relaxed fashion than the quickly plucked style found earlier in the Finale. After the appearance of the poco stretto marking in measure 27, there chords are plucked (or in the case of saxophonists, articulated) more quickly.

Figure 29. Measures 33-36 of Finale from saxophone part

40 Measures 33-36, shown in Figure 29, present another demanding excerpt that includes multiple stopping (in the original cello part). Again, the fact that these chords are to be played pizzicato enables a saxophonist to reproduce these chords as a cello plays them. The rubato and poco a poco stretto markings before them indicate that these two measures begin slowly and accelerate toward an ending (the caesura found after measure 36). If a saxophonist deems it too difficult to play every note in each chord, there is another option. Measure 33, played at a slower tempo than measure 34, offers enough time for the chord on beat two to be arpeggiated, but the accelerated tempo in measure 34 compels a saxophonist to choose one note from the chord. I recommend choosing the note C#6. The C#6 is not only the most pronounced of the chord tones, it is the destination of the upward motion created by arpeggiating the chord from bottom to top. The rubato and poco a poco stretto markings directly before measures 33 and 34 give the performer a bit of flexibility, but it makes the most sense to play these chords in the same style since measure 34 is a repetition of measure 33.

The final five instances of multiple stopping in the Finale may be approached in the same manor as the double stops that precede them. With the pizzicato marking accompanying each of these five chords, the saxophonist can articulate the lower notes of each chord quickly, before landing on the top note of each chord and before arriving at the top note on either the off beat or the down beat (measures 114 and 120 contain chords on the off beats). If the saxophonist wishes to play only one note of each of these chords, I recommend omitting the grace notes and playing the top note of each chord (D6) in both cases. The primary reason for choosing the top note is that

41 it is the most audible note when played on the cello. An example of my adaptation of these chords can be seen in Figure 30.

Figure 30. Measures 112-114 of Finale from saxophone part

Measures 120 and 121 (seen in Figure 31) are reminiscent of measures 112114 in that they echo the chords played on the piano. These two excerpts are also similar in that they are heavily accented. The same approach of playing the lower notes quickly before arriving at the top note is reflected through grace notes preceding the top note of each chord in measures 120 and 121. Again, if a saxophonist were to choose to play only one note, I recommend simply omitting the grace notes. The top notes in these chords are more similar in range to the top notes of the chords played by the piano, and it also creates a larger interval between the notes that precede the final note of the piece. The larger interval created by choosing the top note of each chord has a more dramatic effect and brings better closure to the piece.

42 Figure 31. Measures 120-123 of Finale from saxophone part

Multiple Tonguing In the saxophone’s early years, many saxophone virtuosi used multiple tonguing when they played. Although many of them were not classical musicians, they established that saxophonists could effectively use multiple tonguing in all kinds of performances. As early as 1935, Jimmy Dorsey used triple tonguing in the song Tailspin on his album Stop, Look, and Listen. Other saxophonists who were known for their skill with multiple tonguing in the early twentieth century include Frankie Trumbauer and Al Gallodoro.

Method books from the early twentieth century often included sections that explained various methods for multiple tonguing. Walter Eby’s 1922 Scientific Method for Saxophone, Henry Weber’s 1926 Sax Acrobatix, and Jimmy Dorsey’s 1940 A School of Modern Rhythmic Saxophone Playing all contain sections dedicated to teaching multiple tonguing on the saxophone. In 1963, Larry Teal’s The Art of Saxophone Playing, a method book that continues is still used in the second decade of the twenty-first century, also discusses double tonguing. There has been a consistent emphasis over time on teaching the technique.

43 Despite these books, multiple tonguing continues to be regarded as an “extended technique.” This may be due in part to the difficulty of developing this skill.

Then, too, it could be because of the relative scarcity of compositions that require multiple tonguing along with the concert repertoire’s being large enough for performers to avoid multiple tonguing. Yet a growing trend incorporates multiple tonguing into performance, and it is not surprising that this has led to a new emphasis on developing this skill. It is entirely possible that multiple tonguing will stop being regarded as an extended technique. And if double and triple tonguing become less daunting for a greater number of saxophonists, then more composers may begin to use them in both new works and arrangements of older ones.

Even now, there is a divergence in the use of double and triple tonguing. The latter has not been incorporated into the saxophone repertoire nearly to the extent of the former. Many believe that triple tonguing is more difficult, and it is certainly much more difficult to sustain given the increased physical demands of using it. Some may argue that expecting a saxophonist to triple tongue a long passage is unreasonable. Yet enough of the most accomplished performers have successfully incorporated multiple tonguing into their performances to suggest that there is room for works that demand this skill. As the standards of performance rise within the saxophone community, more of its most accomplished members will be able to employ difficult techniques.

In my arrangement of Debussy’s cello sonata, measures 70-87 of the Finale contain a very long passage of sixteenth-note triplets that require the saxophonist to use triple tonguing. Altissimo is also required in the passage found in Figure 32. The duration of this passage is perhaps the most demanding component for the performer,

44 as multiple tonguing results in increased activity of the tongue and more rapid muscle fatigue. Despite these difficulties, the combination of proper multiple tonguing technique, tongue position, and a very fast air stream all make it possible to play this passage effectively.

Figure 32. Measures 69-73 of Finale from saxophone part

Traditionally, multiple tonguing is taught by using combinations of syllables such as “tu-ku” or “du-gu.” In order to have the flexibility needed to make such large interval leaps, the back of the tongue must remain very high. With this tongue position, multiple tonguing is effectively made easier by using a syllable ending with more of an “ee” sound (for instance , “tee-kee”).

In the earliest stages of learning the particular multiple tonguing needed to play Debussy’s cello sonata, it is easiest to use a more pronounced “tee-kee” style of articulation. After gaining more comfort with the physical action of multiple tonguing, a softer “dee-gee” syllable combination allows for faster speed of articulation, for the harder “t” sound tends to slow the motion of the tongue. Combining tongue position and proper multiple tonguing technique will allow a saxophonist to triple tongue with more flexibility, and for longer periods of time.

45 Interpreting Score Markings Intended for Stringed Instruments As in any piece originally written for strings, there are various markings that refer to techniques specific to that family of instruments. Sur la touche, pizzicato, and sur le chevalet are all critically important examples here. For each occurrence of these markings in string music, there is, in most cases, a viable solution for any saxophonist trying to emulate a string instrument and represent the original music as accurately as possible, to produce a sound that is not an exact replication but that nonetheless imitates the characteristics of string instruments. Thus, understanding these stringspecific markings and the effects they call upon the musician to produce is crucial to arranging string music for the saxophone.

Pizzicato: To Slap or not to Slap?

One marking often found in string music that can create confusion for saxophonists is pizzicato. For a saxophonist, pizzicato markings require a number of different approaches, given that pizzicato appears in many musical contexts.

Debussy’s cello sonata presents multiple styles of pizzicato markings.

The challenge in dealing with the passages that contain pizzicato markings is to develop techniques that will produce the various styles of pizzicato. In many transcriptions of string music for saxophone, the pizzicato technique is equated to the slap tongue technique. Creating suction on the reed with the tongue leads the reed to “slap� the mouthpiece, creating a sound comparable to that of a string slapping the fingerboard. This technique can be very effective when imitating an aggressive

46 pizzicato, but as is the case in Debussy’s cello sonata, the cellist often uses pizzicato with a more graceful touch, and the pizzicato produced possesses no slapping sound.

I have incorporated into my arrangement a variety of markings that signify various saxophone techniques. This has been done in order to most accurately mimic the various articulations of the cello. Transcribing articulations from the strings to the saxophone is not straightforward and requires great care. Although certain markings may implicitly tell string players to use particular techniques, the transposer must investigate those techniques and alter those markings if necessary to suit the instrument for which the piece is being arranged.

In my arrangement of Debussy’s cello sonata, there are three different marks I have chosen to represent the various saxophone techniques necessary to recreate the characteristics of the various types of pizzicato. The first appears above the staves and accompanies a traditional staccato marking. Faux-Slap indicates that the saxophonist should employ a technique I have named the “faux-slap” (to be explained shortly).

The second mark also appears together with that for a traditional staccato. The term Staccatissimo indicates that the saxophonist should play the notes as short as possible.

This type of articulation is reminiscent of the pointed, dry sound created by a guitar being plucked quickly. The third mark is a tenuto along with the staccato. This marking indicates that the saxophonist should employ an anchor tongue (also to be explained later). Examples of these markings can be seen below in Figure 33. In instances where the saxophonist can employ a traditional staccato articulation, the score will read normally, using a traditional staccato marking with no additional labeling.

47 Figure 33. Examples of articulation

There are some correlations between the particular articulations found in the score and certain musical elements that accompany them. At any point where there are pizzicato sixteenth notes below the staff, for instance, the faux-slap marking will also be found because to produce an extremely short, dry sound in the lowest register of the saxophone is nearly impossible without using a more aggressive form of articulation.

The faux-slap works well here because it produces a light plucking sound without the harsh smack of a normal slap tongue.

Where there are longer pizzicato notes, the anchor-tongue technique is used.

Anchor tonguing creates a strong articulation on the front of the note while allowing the note to ring beyond the articulation—all without the slap sound. This also helps to mimic the sound of a guitar string being plucked with an instant decay following the initial articulation. Finally, the staccatissimo marking appears in places where the note lengths are shorter, most often sixteenth notes, and are not in the lowest register of the saxophone.

The first movement of this sonata does not make use of the pizzicato technique; but the second and third contain a great deal of pizzicato articulation. With the exception of a few measures, the entire first half of the SĂŠrĂŠnade, part of a section that undeniably imitates a plucked guitar, is marked as pizzicato. Figure 34 shows the

48 first measure of the original cello part; here a saxophonist can apply a conventional staccato articulation in which the notes are separated but not overly short in length. It is important to point out that the notes should have a bit of a ring, so as to imitate the plucking of an open guitar string.

Figure 34. Measure 1 of Sérénade from original cello part

Figure 35. Measure 10 of Sérénade from saxophone part

One instance in which the faux-slap technique is recommended comes in measure 10 of the Sérénade (Figure 35). Using the tip of the tongue to flick the reed in an upward motion produces the faux-slap sound. The reason for the term faux-slap is that when the tip of the tongue flicks the reed vigorously enough, it will create a very soft slapping. The lack of suction and a movement of the tongue different than a conventional slap tongue together create a different sound and offer more flexibility regarding how loud the slap is. To best imitate a guitar being plucked, I recommend that the faux-slap be more on the conservative side of how hard the reed is flicked. If

49 done properly, the faux-slap can effectively recreate the buoyant, bouncy sound of the cello plucking short and fast sixteenth notes.

Figure 36. Measures 6-7 of Sérénade from original cello part

Figure 35 shows an example of a passage that has, in the saxophone part, the additional marking of staccatissimo. One reason for using the staccatissimo marking rather than using the faux-slap or the anchor tongue is that both techniques are quite cumbersome for the tongue. In addition, performing at faster speeds can cause the resulting sound to be much heavier than the intended pizzicato. Another reason for adding the staccatissimo marking is to indicate that the notes should be played as short and dry as possible. At the tempo of the Sérénade, a saxophonist would need to play the notes as short as possible to mimic the pizzicato sound of the cello.

I accompany the staccatissimo marking with a “carrot” over each note rather than the dot that is usually used to indicate staccato. Figure 33 shows an example of how this marking appears in the saxophone part. Due to spacing, passages that require staccatissimo beyond the first appearance of the word will be signified solely by the markings shown in Figure 33.

In order to achieve the many sounds heard in Debussy’s cello sonata, cellists must manipulate their instrument in many ways. For a saxophonist performing

50 Debussy’s cello sonata, the demand for this same type of manipulation of the instrument is perhaps even greater. Flexibility is paramount. One of the foundational arguments of this manuscript is that arrangements should be written with imitation in mind. Then musicians from various disciplines might gain a better understanding of other instruments and, as a result, forge new pathways for musical collaboration.

Vibrato While the purpose of this document is not to discuss the various theories of how to produce vibrato on the saxophone, saxophonists are sure to encounter the issue of vibrato when performing string music. In my own studies, I have adopted the practice of jaw vibrato. This means that if I were to hold a note with a straight tone, I would add vibrato to the note by moving the lower jaw in such a way that the reed moves up and down, creating an undulation in the pitch.

My own approach uses a more rounded syllable (like “yo”) rather than the more angular syllable (like “ya”) heard in some saxophone playing. My belief is that the speed of the vibrato in classical saxophone playing should rest 330 pulses per minute. Speed is the more flexible element of vibrato if one always uses the round “yo” syllable regardless of speed. At times, employing a faster vibrato increases the intensity of a note, and a slower vibrato can better accompany slower, more placid melodic lines.

My initial approach to vibrato when playing Debussy’s cello sonata was to use a more pronounced vibrato. In my mind, I envisioned the arm of a cellist moving up and down in order to create vibrato. Although cellists do use arm movement to create

51 vibrato, my overall use of vibrato was excessive. Arnone suggested that I take more care with my vibrato in the interest of pitch stability and so as not to detract from a melodic line. If the undulations of the vibrato are too wide or too fast, the listener’s ear is easily taken away from the melody and concentrated on the vibrato, which, in my playing, is not the purpose of adding vibrato to any given note.

In general, I do not wish to make assertions as to how saxophonists should approach their own vibrato given that vibrato can be the subject of great controversy.

Having studied Debussy’s cello sonata with a cellist, the best advice I can offer is, as Arnone suggests, to take care when adding or subtracting vibrato from the tone. Rather than viewing vibrato as an inherent trait of the saxophone’s sound, I believe it is more effective to consider the musical context (whether or not the vibrato is meant to increase or diminish the energy of a musical line) when deciding how small, large, slow, or fast the undulations of the vibrato should be. Depending on a saxophonist’s commitment to imitating the sound of the cello, the various elements of vibrato can be quite different from one saxophonist to another. Careful listening to recordings of the original music is, I believe, the most valuable tool in developing one’s approach to vibrato, especially in cases where the original music may be less familiar.

In Debussy’s cello sonata, there are four instances of the vibrato marking. Two of these markings accompany notes that are plucked vigorously (marked sforzando) and also marked with a tenuto/staccatto marking. Having already decided that the tenuto/staccato marking is to be played using the anchor-tongue technique, the vibrato marking comes into play after the initial attack on the note. After articulating the note, a wider, slower vibrato is added as the note decays. For a saxophonist, this means that

52 the “yo” or “ya” syllable (depending on the preferred vibrato style) is more pronounced, and that the lower jaw is moved at a slower speed. These two occurrences of the vibrato marking are found in measures 12 and 52 of the Sérénade.

The other two vibrato markings are at moments when the tempo slows significantly and the cello line’s activity lessens. The first appearance of a vibrato marking in this context is found in measure 45 of the Prologue. Marked poco vibrato, the figure over which this marking is found is in what serves as a reprise of earlier melodic material, only in this instance, the tempo is marked lento. In order to clearly differentiate this melodic reprise from the largement déclamé marking found over the same figure earlier in the movement (measure 29), I recommend that saxophonists use a very subtle “yo” syllable, creating a fine line between a straight tone and one with vibrato.

The final vibrato marking to discuss occurs in measure 63 of the Sérénade.

Marked dolce vibrato, the longer sustained notes in the cello part of this passage are clearly meant to diminish the energy of the music in order to make the 1er Mouvt. marking in measure 69 much more effective in rejuvenating the energy of the movement. I recommend that from measures 63-68, saxophonists focus on producing a subtler vibrato syllable. While I do not interpret this dolce vibrato marking to relate directly to speed, it is up to the saxophonist as to what speed they prefer their vibrato to be in this instance. It is often the case that a dolce vibrato marking is used to indicate a slower vibrato; however, as mentioned before, I prefer to leave that choice to the performer.

53 Portando Portando is a technique string players and saxophonists both use often. While string players often slide the left hand up or down on the fingerboard to move between pitches, saxophonists use a change in tongue position and air pressure to produce the portando technique. Regarding air pressure, saxophonists must increase the air pressure when beginning to bend the pitch and slide between notes. Increasing the air pressure enables the saxophonist to slide between notes without losing the sound and cracking either the starting note or the arrival note. Fortunately for saxophonists, the majority of the portando markings in Debussy’s cello sonata occur while the saxophone is playing in its upper register, where it is much easier to bend the pitch of the saxophones than in the middle and lower registers; hence, most of the portando markings in Debussy’s cello sonata are fairly easy to produce.

The change in tongue position when playing notes marked portando is directly related to whether the portando occurs in an ascending or descending figure. This means that if the interval is ascending, the saxophonist must raise the back and middle of the tongue in order to slide upward from the starting note to the arrival note. If the interval is descending, the back and middle of the tongue must be lowered. The movement of the tongue can be explained in terms of the human voice articulating speech. An ascending portando is similar to saying “ah” and slowly moving the tongue into place to produce an “ee” sound, all the while keeping the air moving over the vocal chords. Using the same exercise but reversing the order of the syllables will produce a descending portando (“ee” to “ah”). The motion of the tongue when doing

54 these vocal exercises is exactly the motion of the tongue that occurs when playing a portando on the saxophone.

Although a “slide,” or portando, on the saxophone is more difficult than a keyed glissando, it can be produced on any of the saxophones through tongue position and increased air pressure. If a saxophonist is unable to produce a portando by using the tongue to bend the pitch up or down and increasing the pressure of the air stream, a keyed glissando may be used. Otherwise, I recommend that saxophonists not use keyed glissandi, as the sound of a keyed glissando is much different than the portando technique when played on cello.

Sur la Touche There are certain techniques used by string players that often achieve a sound more similar to the sound of a saxophone. Arnone’s observations about timbre note that the sound of the saxophone is innately duller than that of the cello (with regard to the presence of overtones). This is due to the wider range of overtones present in the cello’s timbre (when played in position ordinaire). The effect of playing the cello sur la touche (placing the bow over the fingerboard) is that the overtones are somewhat dampened, therefore lessening the inherent depth of the cello’s sound. The dampening of the overtones gives a saxophonist the opportunity to more closely imitate the timbre of the cello when played sur la touche.

In Debussy’s cello sonata, the marking flautando often accompanies that for sur la touche, and in order to perform the flautando technique, the bow is often placed closer to the finger board, where the light bowing often adds “air-noise” to produce a

55 tone more closely related to a flute than the cello’s norm. A softer dynamic marking is often seen in conjunction with the light bowing required of playing flautando. Given that flautando and sur la touche are relatively synonymous in Debussy’s cello sonata, I have chosen to omit the phrase sur la touche from my arrangement. Since there is no fingerboard on a saxophone and the sur la touche marking is likely unfamiliar to most saxophonists, this deliberate omission is meant to rid the arrangement of components that may cause clutter or confusion. I find this alteration to the original score to be fairly benign given that sur la touche produces a sound similar to the innate timbre of the saxophone.

Sur le Chevalet One string marking that has no precedent for being performed on the saxophone is sur le chevalet. This translates as on the bridge and calls for the bow to be placed over the bridge, distorting the pitch and timbre through the addition of higher harmonics. The sound produced is very powerful and reminiscent of an amplified string instrument.

With no practical performance solutions for sur le chevalet, saxophonists must look beyond this marking with regard to the goal of achieving a sound similar to that of a string instrument. In my arrangement of Debussy’s cello sonata, I have omitted all instances of sur le chevalet in the saxophone part and opted to indicate their location in the critical notes included in this document. Indeed, although I tried several different techniques to produce a sound similar to that of a cellist playing sur le chevalet, it became clear that there is no way to capture the true effect as it is played

56 on stringed instruments. The best solution I can offer is to recommend that a saxophonist add a bit more pressure to the embouchure in order to produce a more nasal sound than is typically desired of saxophonists. It is a choice, however, a recommendation that I suggest leaving open to interpretation depending on how committed a saxophonist is to imitating the cello. One can choose to play the passages marked sur le chevalet without any consideration of that particular marking. For me, it is important to mimic the cello as much as possible, but when imitation is not possible, I believe that the performer should have greater leeway to abandon that goal than I usually recommend.

57 CONCLUSION Any saxophonist wanting to arrange string music for saxophone performance must investigate every detail of the music. If special attention is not given to each component of the arrangement, there will be noticeable gaps in the overall effectiveness of the transcription. If specific pitches take precedence to the range in which the composer has written them, the arrangement will contain noticeable fluctuations in range that deviate from the original music. Just as jazz saxophonists transcribe with the intent of imitating every nuance of the original music, hoping both to learn from and have the opportunity to play extant material, so should classical saxophonists learn as much as possible about and from the music they transcribe. This kind of attention to understanding the original and replicating as much of its detail as possible will create a truer transcription instead of a loose interpretation and will lead to the work’s being better received by other musicians. Listeners will find such an emphasis provides more effective recreations, and the pieces will also be better learning tools for future saxophonists.

As a saxophonist, I have always tried to expand boundaries set in place by traditions, beliefs, and performance practices. Although the number of extant arrangements of string music for saxophone is growing, we have much to learn. Based on my work transcribing the Debussy cello sonata, I have been able to provide this step-by-step manual so others might think about undertaking similar projects. My hope is that those who read this document will come away with a better understanding of the tremendous amount of work that is involved in arranging music for saxophone and some guidelines for how to do so. I hope, too, that what I have done will

58 encourage those undeterred by the enormity of such tasks to ground their arrangements in research. At some point, we have all been guilty of overlooking details due to our enthusiasm and eagerness to perform certain music. But if we attach meaning and purpose to our work, it will undeniably be more effective in reaching others. If saxophonists are to continue arranging music written for other instruments, I recommend that we do so with care, attention to detail, and respect for the musical traditions from which we hope to borrow, learn, and create something of beauty.

59 APPENDIX A PERFORMANCE NOTES FOR DEBUSSY’S CELLO SONATA

This arrangement is based on the first edition of Debussy's Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, published by Durand.

À plein son [Fr.]. With a full sound Agitato [It.]. Agitated.

Anchor Tongue [Eng.]. Beginning with the tongue on the reed before articulating the start of a note. See Sérénade mm. 12, 52-53.

Appassionato [It.]. Impassioned.

Attaca [It.]. Continue without pause.

Au mouvement (mouvt.) [Fr.]. At tempo.

Cédez [Fr.]. Yield, slow down.

Con [It., Sp.]. With.

Déclamé [Fr.]. In a declamatory style.

Dolce [It.]. Sweet, smoothly, gentle.

Dolcissimo [It.]. As sweet and gentle as possible.

En Serrant [Fr.]. Becoming faster.

Estinto [It.]. Very softly, barely audible.

Expressif [Fr.]. With expression, with feeling.

Fantasque [Fr.]. Whimsical, capricious; fantastic.

60 Faux-slap [Eng.]. Flick the reed with the tongue in an upward motion. See Sérénade mm. 3-4, 8-11, 19-20, 26-27, 54-55.

Flautando [It.]. Flutelike, a light sound with few overtones.

Fuoco [It.]. Fiery, passionately, with excitement.

Ironique [Fr.]. Mocking.

Largement [Fr.]. Broad, full, fairly slowly.

Largo [It.]. Slow, solemn, sustained.

Léger [Fr.]. Light, quick.

Legierissimo [It.]. As lightly and nimbly as possible.

Lent [Fr.]. Slow.

Lento [It.]. Slow.

Lusingando [It.]. Caressing, alluring.

Marqué [Fr.]. Marked, accented, emphasized.

Meno mosso [It.]. Less movement.

Moitié [Fr.]. Half.

Morbidezza [It.]. Delicately, softly.

Nerveux [Fr.]. Excited, impatient, agitated.

Più [It.]. More.

Plus [Fr.]. More.

Poco vibrato [It.]. A little vibrato (see vibrato).

Presque [Fr.]. Almost.

Quasi cadenza [It.]. Almost like a cadenza.

Retenu [Fr.]. Holding back, slowing down.

61 Ritenuto [It.]. Immediately slower, held back.

Risoluto [It.]. Boldly, decisively, vigorously.

Rubato [It.]. Rhythmic flexibility while not changing duration of measures.

Sempre [It.]. Always, continually, throughout.

Sostenuto [It.]. Sustained.

Soutenu [Fr.]. Sustained, held.

Staccatissimo [It.]. Sharp staccato. See SĂŠrĂŠnade mm. 5-7, 17-18, 21-22, 25.

Stretto [It.]. Accelerated, faster.

Subito [It.]. Suddenly, immediately, at once.

Tenuto (ten.) [It.]. Held, sustained.

Vibrato [It.]. Oscillation of a narrow distance in pitch.

Volubile [Fr.]. Fluent, flowing, rapid.

62 APPENDIX B EDITORIAL NOTES This arrangement is based on the first edition of Debussy's Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, published by Durand.

Prologue 1. m. 21: Originally sur la touche. Play with a soft, delicate tone.

2. m. 28: Originally marked position ordinaire [i.e. no longer sur la touche].

3. mm. 50-51: Originally written as

SĂŠrĂŠnade

1. mm. 1-7; 10-11; 19-24; 26-27; beat 2 of m. 49; beat 2 of m. 51-55: Originally marked pizzicato.

2. mm. 5-7; 21-22: Grace notes originally written as 3. mm. 8-9: Originally written as 4. mm. 13; 44-47; 56-64: Originally marked sur la touche.

5. mm. 13-18; 25; 28-beat 1 of m. 49; 50-beat 1 of m. 51; 56-64: Originally marked arco.

63 Finale 1. mm. 1-2; 19-34; 112-beat 1 of 114; 119-123: Originally marked pizzicato.

2. mm. 3 -18; 35-beat 2 of 85; 87-111; beat 2 of 114-118: Originally marked arco.

3. mm. 19-22: Grace notes originally written as

4. mm. 24; 26-28; 30; 32; 112-114: Grace notes originally written as

5. mm. 33-34: Grace notes originally written as

6. mm. 39-41; 77-78: Originally marked sur le chevalet.

7. mm. 69-76: Originally marked sur la touche.

8. mm. 79-85: Originally marked position ordinaire 9. mm. last eighth note of m. 85-86: Originally written as

65

APPENDIX C DEBUSSY’S CELLO SONATA ADAPTED FOR BARITONE SAXOPHONE

Sonata

65

Transcribed from the cello sonata for baritone saxophone Lent

#! " #!

$ = 48 -- 54

Claude Debussy Arr. Nathan B. Bogert

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p

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mf

dim

p

Animando poco a poco (Agitato) (flautando)

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pp

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pp sempre animando e crescendo

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25

au Mouvt. (largement dĂŠclamĂŠ)

( ' ' # ' '! ' ' ' ' # ' ' ' ''' & " # ' '2 '2 '' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 '' '2 '2 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 3 portando

27

f molto sostenuto

molto cresc.

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1

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più p lusingando

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pp

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(quazi cadenza)

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37

p

p

En Serrant - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

# "#

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1

Retenu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1

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#' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '' ' ## ' ' ' & '. ' ' ' ' ' ' ' . & " & '' '&/

39

dolce sostenuto

più dolce

' ' ''' ' '' poco vibrato ## ' ''' & ' & ' ' ' ' ! '- ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' " / ''' Lento

43

più p

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flautando 3

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#" ___________________ '' + 3 + ' ' ' + ' ' 0 '' ' pp

ppp

Sérénade et Finale

68

Sérénade Modérément animé (72= )

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36

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70 Rubato flautando

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