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Encounters at 56 rue Lepic - Special Feature The Classical Sax mouthpieces - Interviews Antonio Saiote, Hiroshi Hara - Scores - Postcards - New Products

The Vandojam on thefirst Thursday of the month.

Vandojams were organised in the last quarter of 2003 and the first quarterof 2004 on the first Thursday of the month with Michel Chéret. About twen-ty saxophonists, accompanied by many other musicians, played together at11 Rue Lepic (Jazz Club “Autour de Midi”, not far from Vandoren). See theInterview with Michael Chéret in the Vandojazz magazine. Photos:www.nrdb.net, “Events” / Log in: vandojam; Password: jam.

Dear Musicians,I am very plea-sed to present

to you the latest issue ofthe Vandoren magazine.Our special feature isdevoted to mouthpiecesfor classical saxophones.In this issue, we also pay tribute to DanielDeffayet. While Claude

Delangle, his successor at the Paris C.N.S.M., givesus his thoughts, based on his experience of ourrange of mouthpieces. In-house experts shed light onsome of the lesser-known aspects of the saxophonemouthpiece, which has proved to have great vitalityall over the world, as illustrated by the reports andphotos of various artists in this issue. Finally, I amparticularly proud to introduce clarinet players to thenew ”56 rue Lepic” reed. The outstanding features ofthis exceptional reed are its high musical qualities,an even finer selection and innovative packaging. I hope you enjoy reading this magazine.

Bernard VAN DOREN

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL NEWS IN BRIEF & ENCOUNTERS

Yoshiyuki Hattori master-class.

Yoshiyuki Hattori studied in Japan and France. He teaches at theUniversity of Senzoku and at the Shobi Conservatory of Tokyo. He was nota-bly Mr. Hara’s teacher. Since 1974, he has been baritone of the “QuatreRoseaux Ensemble”, which has won several chamber music competitions.A former leading soloist in the “Kosei” wind orchestra, he currently teachesat the University of Nagoya and at three music academies in Tokyo.

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saxophone mouthpieces14 interviews18 espace partitions20 postcards23 new Products

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BetweenFrankfurt and Berlin !Ulrich Mehlhart, solo clarinet player for theRadio Frankfurt Orchestra (HessischeRundfunk), is President of the Association ofGerman Clarinet players (DKG). Founded in1998, the DKG organised its 4th Symposiumfrom October 1-4, in Berlin. http://www.deutsche.klarinetten-gesellschaft.de )

A point in common: soloists at the National!

The two former soloists of the National Orchestra, Guy Dangainand Alessandro Carbonare (http://www.carbonare.com/) metagain at Vandoren under the attentive eye of Patrick Scheidecker,Managing Director of Vandoren. Guy Dangain continues to be veryactive at the Ecole Normale de Musique [French Private MusicConservatory] and in the field of wind instruments (Director of theCMF, Chairman of the “Fédération de Picardie”, and Director of the“Harmonie de Beauvais” [The Beauvais Concert Band]). As forAlessando Carbonare, he has joined the Santa Cecilia Orchestra ofRome and has just released a wonderful modern music CD (Ref.Vandoren 2CL605: F. Zappa, Phil Woods, P. d’Riviera, Yoshimatsu, …)

Vandoren, is alsoVandojazz !

A magazine in french entitled Vandojazzhas been launched. Its first issuecontains a special feature on jazz inFrance, with interviews by Eric Barret,Jean Christophe Beney, Sylvain Cathala,Michael Cheret, Olivier Temime, Pierrick

Pedron and an article by Louis Tainturierabout French jazz. You can download it

from the site: http://www.vandoren.fr

Miscellany ...

Victoria Soames, clarinettist and founder of the Clarinet Classics recordCompany, recently became a professor at Goldsmith College, in addi-tion to her teaching roles at Trinity College in London and the GuildhallSchool of Music & Drama Junior School. As for her “Clarinet Classics”firm, it has just released its 46th CD. http://www.victoriasoames.com/.Richard Edwards is the editor of the C.A.S.S. magazine (Clarinet andSaxophone Society of Great Britain). The “4th British Congress” tookplace in Birmingham in November with a tribute to the clarinet playersof France, Italy and Great Britain. http://www.clarinetandsaxophone.co.uk/.Serge Bertocchi is Chairperson of the Association of FrenchSaxophonists “A. Sax”. As a member of Xasax, he had an opportunity toplay a piece by Sciarrino “for 4 saxophone soloists with 100 saxopho-nists in movement” at the Musée d’Orsay on November 17th. He is alsoa “Tubax” (bass sax) expert. http://asaxweb.free.fr/

A reunion between James Gillespie and Guy Deplus.

James Gillespie (Professor at North Texas State University and Editor of themagazine “The Clarinet”) http://www.clarinet.org/ and Guy Deplus, whowas filmed in a master class at Vandoren this year, which we hope will bereleased as a DVD. (biography: http://www.vandoren.com, artists section)

NEWS IN BRIEF & ENCOUNTERS

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A Tribute to Daniel Deffayet.One year after the death of Marcel Mule, the saxophone musicworld has once again been hit, this time by the death of DanielDeffayet, who passed away in his Paris home on December 27th,2002, at the age of 80. He was a teacher at the Paris C.N.S.M.(1968-88) and trained a whole generation of talented saxopho-nists. He was also a remarkable interpreter who, together withhis “Quatuor de Saxophones”, was responsible for numerouscreations. He performed as a soloist for several major orches-tras, and Von Karajan regularly asked him to play with thePhilharmonic Orchestra of Berlin (1966-88). See his biographyand a full interview * conducted by Roland Pierry on the sitehttp://www.vandoren.fr

* Excerpts from the interview: The material is not difficult. (…)When I went to see Marcel Mule, he played a metal mouthpiece, and

naturally I wanted to play the same thing, to be “like the teacher”. As atransition, he recommended that I buy a “Perfecta” mouthpiece and its corresponding reeds from Vandoren. So, ever since 1938, I have beenplaying Vandoren reeds. (…) I used a traditional metal mouthpiece and then one with an adjustable facing by Georges Charron until Vandorencame out with its new series of classical mouthpieces. With all this, I have always played Vandoren reeds.

What suits you most in the Vandoren reeds?The timbre and quality of sound. Actually, I think the most important quality, for an instrumentalist, is to have a beautiful sound. You can playa wrong note, but if you do it with a beautiful sound, I would be the first to forgive you. Yes, the finger was in the wrong place but it is of noimportance. What is the problem with a wrong note, if it sounds beautiful? It has a stirring tone that “makes the hairs stand up on the backof your neck”. For me, this is the main quality.I have ended up tinkering with them. In my day, we used to do it with a well-sharpened penknife or a razor blade, by placing the reed on asheet of glass and scraping the tip lightly but without touching the facing. That would be heresy, a mortal sin. Sometimes I scraped the heelof a slightly muted reed to make it sound better. This would lighten it a little bit. That is all. I never did anything else. I should point out thatI never actually removed shavings. These adjustments were in fact very minor. Naturally, I tried reeds by other brands, but since 1938, I stayedfaithful to Vandoren reeds because in the course of these trials, I never came across reeds that were better than, or even equal to, what I foundhere. (…). For me, it is only my ears that guide me. (…)

You told us that you owed everything to Marcel Mule. Perhaps one day, people will say the same thing about you …I don’t think so because there was nothing before Marcel Mule. He created everything, whereas I only continued a tradition, I am not a refor-mer. Since in my view all that had been done before me was perfect, I tried to continue along that path.

TRIBUTE

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Algirdas Budrysat the CNSM inFebruary

Algirdas Budrys (solo clarinet player for the NationalOrchestra of Lithuania) at a master class of Lithuanianmusic that he gave at the CNSM of Paris in February 2003with the students of Arnaud Leroy, Assistant Professor.

Ensembles,at Vandoren !

The Korean Sax Ensemble with Kim DaeWoo,during a tour in February 2003 that brought them to France andGermany. Founded in 1996, this ensemble is usually composed of 50saxophonists (see Kim’s interview in Postcard from Korea at the end ofthis magazine). http://www.saxophone.or.kr/

Saxophone Class of Arno Bornkamp(Amsterdam Music Academy) on 3 February 2003. This year, ArnoBornkamp released a double CD of classical saxophone music.http://www.effacta.nl/solisten.htm

Henri Jeitz and his clarinet class(Luxembourg Music Academy)Henri Jeitz formed the Sigma contemporary music Ensemble and theLuxembourg Clarinet Choir.

NEWS IN BRIEF & ENCOUNTERS

Jack Brymer, fromone world to another …

Jack Brymer passed away onSeptember 16, 2003 at the age of88. Sharing a Birthday withMozart, the 27th of January, hehad strong affinities with hisconcerto, which he recorded threetimes (with Beecham, Davis and

Marriner) He was doubtless thefirst English clarinet player to use

the vibrato. The author of an excellent bookon the clarinet, he also played as a soloist for the mainorchestras of London, and was Honorary President of CASS(the British association of Clarinet players andSaxophonists).

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T he best classical saxophonists are nowconvinced of the quality of

our products. At the Adolphe SaxCompetition in Dinant, the six finalistsplayed a Vandoren mouthpiece! And yet the saxophone mouthpiece is a subject that is rarely discussed inbooks about music or the productionof instruments. The purpose of thisarticle is to encourage reflection oncertain fundamental points, includingthe technical vocabulary for the different parts of the mouthpiece, as well as the language to be used.This language must obviously be more subjective if it is to accuratelydescribe the sensations felt when testing material and to define theresulting sound, or the material itself.This analysis has been based on experience acquired by the Vandorenartistic advisers or the musiciansthemselves. Many of the details givenhere apply to all types of mouthpiecesbut a forthcoming issue of theVandoren magazine will be devoted tomouthpieces for jazz, which have sucha wide range of chambers and stylesthat a separate feature is required.

the

Sax

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THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECEMini Glossary

Let us examine a diagram ofa mouthpiece, since a simpleexplanation is necessaryabout certain parametersthat are not sufficientlyknown .

The main function of the outerform in other words its design,is to make the user feel confi-dent. In fact, apart from theshape of the tip of the mouthpie-ce, the rest can be modified.Naturally, to some people, themost important aspect is theexternal shape of the mouthpie-ce, a shape that is more, or less,retro or modern can, for instan-ce, indirectly “catalogue” amouthpiece. However, it shouldbe noted that a lack of thicknessin a shank could weaken theinterlock between the mouthpie-ce and the neck. The origin of “mentonnière”, theFrench name for the beak,comes from the fact that it wasoriginally intended for resting

the chin (“menton”). It was the-refore the upper lip that control-led the vibration of the reed.Later, the mouthpiece was usedthe other way round for greatercomfort, the upper lip acting as acushion between the teeth of theupper jaw and the beak. Most ins-trumentalists have graduallydropped this method, and now theteeth usually rest directly on thebeak. The shape, and in particularthe angle of the beak, have aconsiderable influence on comfortbut also on the consistency andrichness of the sound. An examplethat will enable you to assess itsimportance are two mouthpieceswith the same facing, the A28and the latest mouthpiece in theOptimum series, the AL4. The baffle sculpts the sound atits source. Its shape, length andangle are therefore determinedaccording to the volume of thechamber and the desired timbre.A convex baffle is usually moresuitable for a “brilliant” sonority.

As for the chamber, its volumeand shape have an effect on thegrain of the sound and the pitchof the instrument, and even thetimbre of certain notes. Whenreducing the total volume of thechamber by increasing thebaffle, the air speed is affectedand as a result, il generatesmore harmonics. Accuracy isdirectly linked to the relationshipbetween the volume of the cham-ber and the passage of the bore. The throat varies in shapedepending on the maker. Themost important aspect in thiscase is not its shape but its volu-me. In classical mouthpieces, itis usually smaller. Consequently,the more compressed the cham-ber the more it broadens, as therelationship between the chamberand the bore must be respected.The shape of the bore depends onthe tapering of the neck. It is, infact, more logical for the bore to bealso shaped as a cone because anevenly distributed density of the

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A N D J E A N R A P E N N E , P R O D U C T I O N D I R E C T O R

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classicalmouthpieces

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BAFFLEBEAK

TIP-OPENING

RAMP

RAMP TIP

THROAT

BORE

FACING-CURVE

TABLE

SHANK

CH

AM

BE

R

TIP-CONTOUR

WALLS (INSIDE)

WINDOW

TIP RAIL

SIDE RAILS

LIGATURE LINES

TIP THICKNESS

WALLS (OUTSIDE)

BOUT DU BEC

FACETTE

RAILS

FLANCS OU PAROIS (EXTERIEURS)

TRAITS DE LIGATURE

FENETRE OU LUMIERE

JOUES OU PAROIS(INTERIEURS)

OUVERTURE EN BOUT

EPAISSEUR DU BOUT

MENTONNIERE HAUT PLAFOND COURBEDE LA TABLE

BOUT DE LA RAMPE

RAMPE

PERCE

CH

AM

BR

E

TENON

GORGE (PASSAGE DE LA PERCE)

OU TRAPEZE (CLARINETTES)

cork facilitates the adjustment ofthe mouthpiece over the neck.Furthermore, its length is of minorimportance since it is the way themouthpiece is fitted that balancesthe accuracy of the instrument.The facing has two basic compo-nents: the flat part on which thereed will be fixed by the ligatureand the rounded part, the curveof which is designed to make thereed vibrate by leaving a spacefor air to pass. The flat part should,preferably, be very slightly concaveto ensure that it is completelyairtight.The tip opening is very easy tosee (or at least one has thisimpression), and as a result eve-ryone is talking about it. Who has

not already tried to compare twomouthpieces at a glance? It iscertainly very reassuring butunfortunately, we are far fromreality because the tip openingalone sheds very little light onthe features of the facing of amouthpiece: the curve and thelength of the facing are in factjust as important.The curve must fulfil certain criteria otherwise the reed willnot vibrate correctly. The shapeof the curve and length of thefacing combined have a greatinfluence on the ease of emis-sion, frequently translated, erro-neously, as a mouthpiece that is‘too open” or “too closed”. For agiven opening, a longer curve will

be interpreted in terms of a “closed” mouthpiece, and ofcourse, a shorter curve will pro-duce the sensation of an “open”mouthpiece. Designing thefacing of a mouthpiece is thedomain of a specialist. The aspect of the tip rail, hencethe finish, of this part is a deter-mining factor for the sensation ofsound production. This impliesthe impression of a “open” or“closed” mouthpiece, a roundersound, etc. The ideal width of thetip rail for a given model is oftendictated by the curve of thefacing. Even though this is notalways true, a wide tip rail isoften synonymous with a morecompact sound. On the other

the classicalSax mouthpieces

hand, this type of finish requiresa selection of “soft” reeds, inother words, more supple butwithout deteriorating the thick-ness of the sound. The AL3Optimum mouthpiece, with itswide tip rail, is a very good exampleof a compromise between easyemission and sound texture. A thintip rail, like the A28 for instance,would certainly give the AL3 diffe-rent dynamics but not withoutdetriment to the quality of sound.It should be noted that a wide tiprail increases the capacity foradjusting the reed on the mouth-piece (higher or lower). How to care for a mouthpiece. Theebonite used (vulcanised rubber) isa material that remains stable over

time and also permits shapingunder the right conditions. Thanks toour technology and expertise, we areable to guarantee order of 1/100th ofmillimeter. However, ebonite is sen-sitive to heat and can also becomeoxidised at room temperature, tur-ning into a greenish colour, for ins-tance. These reactions end up byhardening the material considerablyover time and can therefore modifythe perception of sound. It is impor-tant not to place the mouthpiece onthe flat part of the facing! Sincethere is always some friction, pre-mature wear and tear may eventual-ly alter the ease of emission and,therefore, the sound. How many musicians have not obs-tinately claimed that their old mou-

thpiece was much softer than anew one while at the same timeasserting that the maker had chan-ged the way it was produced? Somemouthpieces have been madeaccording to these criteria. For ins-tance, the A17 is based upon aused A27, and the A28 is derivedfrom both of these models. So itis important for musicians to clo-sely observe the changes thatoccur to their mouthpiece, over aperiod of time.How to clean a mouthpiece. Howshould it be cleaned? With slightlysoapy warm water occasionally orwith special products. Since theinside of the mouthpiece chamberis sometimes wiped for hygienicpurposes, the aspect of the tip rail

can undergo some slight changesthat will eventually give you theimpression that your mouthpiecehas become softer, even clearer,and it is true. A mouthpiece is nothard-wearing, so trying out anothermouthpiece from time to time willhelp you assess its wear and tear.Using two, or even three, mouth-pieces in alternation is reassuringand comfortable.

Ijoined the CNSM* while using a mouthpiece of another make. Verysoon, I tried the Vandoren A17 in class. I was looking for somethingthat suited me better, with more sound. At the course held in Gap after

the A28 came out and Claude Delangle made me try it, I practised for theGeneva Competition with this mouthpiece. In the past year, when playingchamber music, I again used the A17 as it goes well with my Selmer Series3 sax due to its generous sonority. For the soprano, an instrument I startedplaying at a late stage, I chose the S15 as it suits me perfectly, and forthe tenor the T20 because it has a good balance. The choice of materialshould be simple and quick (at least for me). Trying mouthpieces withdifferent openings requires a choice of reeds appropriate to each one. Thefirst phase is not to try to play unfamiliar mouthpieces and reeds (if youare testing a mouthpiece, change that only). A long trial lasting severaldays then helps to determine the correct strenght of reed.* Paris National Conservatory

T H E O P I N I O N O F A M U S I C I A N

Vincent DavidStraight to the point …

See also the opinion of Otis Murphy (USA) and Kim Daewoo (Korea)in the “Postcards” Section

on page 21.

V I N C E N T D AV I D P L AY S : S 1 5 , A 1 7 / A 2 8 , T 2 0 M O U T H P I E C E S , T R A D . R E E D S 3

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THE BIRTH OF A NEW SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE: from the prototype to its mass production

The problemsPerfecting the prototype of a saxo-phone mouthpiece is still a fasci-nating undertaking as the possibi-lities are so vast. Comparativelyspeaking, the mouthpiece of a cla-rinet has gradually reached astage of near perfection in analmost exclusively (so-called)classical music context where theaesthetic choices are, on thewhole, standardised.

The creation of an experimentalmouthpiece is the result ofnumerous operations of model-ling and adjusting on an eboniteor brass base, with the help ofheat-setting resins. Step bystep, the musical trials guide theprogress of the work. Researchconcentrates on the basic com-ponents of the mouthpiece: thechamber (its size, shape andbaffle), the throat, the facingand certain details of the beak.

It is actually not very difficult toobtain results. People who tinkeraround with instruments and othermore serious repairers can easilyprovide a demonstration. If theyknow their advice will be followed,they can give musicians back theirconfidence temporarily thanks toan appropriate adjustment. Butwhat happens afterwards? Theadjusted mouthpiece that produ-ced such good results only a fewdays ago no longer reacts as wellwith a new reed. Why?

To be valid, a prototype – like anadjusted mouthpiece – must bebuilt on a solid foundation, i.e., itmust have solid qualities and notjust a few flattering assets thatwill soon be discarded. Only genui-ne know-how and long experiencecan make it possible to achieve aconvincing result. It is only underthese conditions that the most dif-

ficult stage can be envisaged:mass production. The main diffi-culty is, actually, not making onemouthpiece but to succeed inreproducing it for mass produc-tion, while retaining all its originalqualities in the long term.

This particular aspect of produc-tion is very important because allmusicians change their mouth-piece sooner or later. It is vital forthem to be able to find the samefamiliarity when choosing anothermouthpiece from the range. Itshould be noted here that slightdifferences do exist between mouthpieces from the samerange. These differences, duemainly to their manual finishingtouches, make it possible to offer afew variations, but the foundationnevertheless remains.

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the classicalSax mouthpieces

How is it possible to guaranteeidentical and stable productionover the years?

The mould

Once the prototype has been fullyapproved by musicians participa-ting in the experiment, an imprintof the inside is made with the helpof a special material that guaran-tees reproducing exactly the sameshape and size. This imprint isthen digitised by computer inorder to make a first core pin insteel for the testing mould. Thecasting procedures tested byVandoren for many years permitthe production of blanks, the insi-de of which is very close to thefinished pieces. Only light fini-shing touches by hand to matchthe tip rail are necessary at theend of the process (but the outerpart itself must be completelymachined).In general, only casting processescan produce complex inner forms(more complex than the formsobtained by machining) while atthe same time guaranteeing per-fect reproduction over time.Furthermore, since the pins are

digitised, it is always possible tomake new ones in case of wearand tear or accidental damage.

The first pieces made from theexperimental mould are testedand the pin is eventually adjustedstage by stage until the expectedresult is obtained. The final mouldis then made (core and envelope)in a highly resistant chrome steel.The “model”, thus perfected, isready for mass production of theblanks.

Tolerances

Every stage of production ischecked on specific evaluationbenches. The general tolerances,extremely precise, are similar tothose of micro-mechanics:- turning of the outer form andlengthening of the bore: +/- 0.05mm,- grinding of the beak and cut-ting of the tip: +/- 0.01 mm.- milling of the facing: +/- 0/05mm.The facing needs special caresince, to guarantee its precision,it cannot be adjusted or polishedafter milling. The facing

machines, equipped with naturaldiamond tools, are checked fre-quently, especially to check thealignments and thus avoid “war-ping” of the facings, a littleunderstood phenomenon thatdisturbs emission. For each typeof facing (A27, A28, AL3, T35,T25, etc), there are two mastermodels, kept in a safe placesheltered from light and humidi-ty. These are only handled incases of absolute necessity.

Finishing touches

The manual finishing touches tothe side rails, the top of thebaffle and the tip rail are done byspecially trained adjusters/fini-shers. Although each one has aparticular style, every detail iscarefully controlled with the helpof measuring rods to ensure thatthe spirit of the original model isalways respected.

Tests

Finally, top musicians test theentire production by carrying outregular tests. All their commentsare recorded and checked. For

the members of the productionteam, the impressions of musi-cians are always more importantthan the production constraints.From perfecting the prototype tomass production, the birth of amouthpiece is a question of pas-sion, imagination and artisticsensitivity, but it is also, andabove all, an exercise in patien-ce, hope and technical expertise.Thanks to this global approach toquality, Vandoren succeeds indeveloping new products that arealways innovative and efficient,backed by the assurance of beingable to make identical modelsfive, ten, fifteen and even thirtyyears later! So you should not harbour anydoubts about the quality or thedurability of your material.Choose a Vandoren saxophonemouthpiece and concentrate onthe only thing that is importantin the final analysis: the music!

The Vandoren solutions

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B Y J E A N - P A U L G A U V I N , A R T I S T I C A D V I S E R , V A N D O R E N

FLEXIBILITY AND RESONANCE ...

The care given to making a newmouthpiece at Vandoren is directlylinked to the artistic demands of themajority of musicians. In anattempt to adjust intonation,Adolphe Sax established that thevolume of the chamber is in theessence the conical extension of theneck. Originally, mouthpieces werevery wide inside, with very narrowopenings. The current design of themouthpiece has undergone a fewmodifications in relation to thelatest developments of the instru-ment. The lengthening of the tube,its diameter and, consequently, theposition of the vents have been re-balanced to obtain greater accuracy.Therefore, the choice of mouthpiecefor artistic reasons can be explainedby the technical features of themodel. For once, feelings are givenan important place and surprisescan be expected along the way…

From the flat part of the facingIt serves to position the reed, whichis fixed by a ligature. The shape ofthe curve offers a plethora of sen-sations specific to the emission ofthe sound. The vibrating part of thereed is sensitive to this exponentialcurve. These sensations are, ofcourse, directly linked to the mor-phology of the instrumentalistsand the way they play. One particu-lar reed can be appreciated in acompletely different way depen-ding on the flow and pressure ofair that the musician applies to it.The “sensation” erroneously inter-preted by the musician in termsof opening (for example, a mou-thpiece that is too opened or tooclosed) can be determined by thelength of this curve and not bythe actual opening.

From the openingThis is the most visible aspect,so everyone talks about it. Whohas not compared two mouth-pieces at a glance (even a veryexperienced one)? It is obviouslyvery reassuring but unfortunatelyfar removed from reality.Inbetween the artistic “inclina-tion” of the musician and theacoustic theory, a truth can befound : the opening of a mouth-piece does not systematicallygenerate more sound.

From the pressure and flow of airHandling the pressure and flow ofair is crucial, and resonance is

optimised by this balance of para-meters. This vital notion is a deter-mining factor in the design of mouthpieces. For instance, the AL3Optimum series is outstandinglyeasy from all points of view (emis-sion, sound texture, etc). In thiscase, the mouthpiece results in acertain sound. On the other hand,the A28 V5 series tends to havethe opposite concept, and theinstrumentalist will have toappropriate the sound himselfand forge it, in other words,sculpt its personality.

From using strong reeds At first glance, it can give theimpression of a better control ofthe instrument (dynamics, sonorityand richness of the sound) but tothe detriment of the notion of flexi-bility, therefore ease of sound pro-duction. At present, the frequentuse of relatively closed mouth-pieces with facings having a lon-ger or shorter curve, together witha choice of strong reeds (31/2 to 4,and even higher), leads us to belie-ve that the present openings arefinally comparable to those used inthe 1960s, with the exception ofthe reed strength, which alwaysremained average (21/2 to 3).

From the vocabularyYour requirements shall be satis-fied by our shared passion. Weknow how to develop whileremaining within the realms ofreality all in all an utopian com-

promise. Vocabulary is essential.The subtleties of defining asound remains a debate : “clearor bright” ; or on the contrary“dark, round, large…”. All theseterms may lead to confusion andindecision. The notions of flexibi-lity and resonance - themselvesassociated with phrasing - bringus closer to a truth.

Five principlesto remember

1The design of a mouthpiece can satisfy a majority of musicians.

2The shape of the chamber determinedby volume is not systematically linkedto the parameters for defining sound.

3The depth and angle of the baffle

are important criteria.

4The appearance of certain parts of

the mouthpiece, such as the tip rail,explains the sensation(s) obtainedwhen blowing into the instrument.

5The resonance of an instrumentdepends basically on the way

musicians handle their embouchure.The use of a classical mouthpiece canproduce jazz sounds and vice versa.

Using the same mouthpiece, thesound of an instrument will varyfrom one musician to another.

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the classicalSax mouthpieces

Claude DELANGLE“Choosing a mouthpiece”

As a student, I used a C* Selmer mouthpiece. I wascompletely satisfied with this mouthpiece. I did not askmyself questions about the material but only how to do

something with it! When I left the Conservatory, Roland Pierryintroduced me to the Vandoren A25 mouthpiece. I started feeling newsensations, looking for new colours, the “grain” of different sounds,according to the repertory. I was not fully satisfied with thismouthpiece but I started to realise in a slightly vague way that Iwanted to find my own sonority. In any event, I had to “move” andgive up habits that had become too comfortable. I needed to look fora new balance between the sound that was mine in those days, theone I was dreaming about, and the acoustic features of a mouthpiece.

I spent several years changing frequently; the A20, the A27, etc,returning regularly to my landmarks of the C*. In the 1990s, I usedthe A17 mouthpiece for a long time. It gave me exactly what I waslooking for in terms of emission: precision, balance, consistency andclear articulation, etc. When the A28 came out, I was attracted to itsrich timbre. It required greater effort on my part, more air, but I wasdelighted by its warm sonority. However, I continued to feel nostalgicabout the accuracy of the A17, to which I finally returned, preferringto select a stronger reed to obtain a warmer sound. The softest reedwith the A28 produced a compromise between emission and soundbut made me lose some of the high pitch. A small diversion duringa few months with the AL3 and AL4 convinced me that they weresuitable for playing in an orchestra or for classes (1st and 2nd cycles).

As a soloist, however, I felt a little “constrained”. I recently changedto the A5 with the medium chamber. This mouthpiece is a little tooopen for me, it gives a rather well rounded sound but it is nowherenear as rich in harmonics as my previous mouthpieces. In a way, thereis a kind of struggle between my basic conception and the potentialof this mouthpiece. This is why it is good for me. It sets limits to myexcesses and helps me explore other horizons. I will probably changeagain soon but I do not recommend it for my students. In fact, itrequires perfect mastery and a precise idea of the colours one islooking for. It is not much of a guide and can produce disasters! Allthese successive changes have enabled me to become aware of astrange idea. When you have mastered sound well, it may perhapsbe advisable to avoid playing with material that is perfectly in linewith your own concept of sound! The tension (gentle) between theobjective and the material can generate new musical ideas. On theother hand, I recommend the greatest stability possible duringelementary studies, and well-considered and infrequent changesduring higher studies.

T H E O P I N I O N O F A M U S I C I A N

C L A U D E D E L A N G L E P L AY S : S 1 5 , A 1 7 / A 2 8 , T 2 0 M O U T H P I E C E S , T R A D . R E E D S 3 , 5

special feature

14

What has been your musical journey?I learned musical notation according to the French system. I startedthe clarinet when I was 13 years old (my teacher had studied with U.Delécluse), and one year later the violin. This instrument certainlyhelped me in my present career as an orchestral conductor becausefrom the age of 14, I was head of section in a symphony orchestra.At the age of 17, I won the World Younth Orchestra competition andleft on tour for Korea and Japan, under the direction of Serge Baudo.I then came to visit the Parisian factories for the first time to buy “IO S”clarinets and Vandoren reeds. Later, as a result of my meetingwith Guy Dangain, I participated in a rehearsal of the NationalOrchestra of France, and gave my first real recital accompanied onthe piano by Alois Kontarsky.

What are your views on training?Teaching means transmitting something that the student may per-haps use later. All experiences are instructive for students. They

learn by comparing themselves with others or by experimenting. Asfor myself, when I was 18 years old, I won a scholarship thatenabled me to come to Paris to study with Jacques Lancelot andGuy Deplus. Later, I followed the teaching of the German traditionunder Gerd Starke in Munich. This was an enriching experience forme even though in the case of some students the influence of dif-ferent teachers can undermine their development. I had a strongurge to create a school in Portugal because it is so important topass down a tradition!

What do you think of teacher/student relations? Learning is a question of intelligence. The first thing to tell yourself is :I don’t know. A student should not look upon a teacher as a friendbecause too much familiarity can harm the relationship.

What analysis would you draw from your experience with theFrench, German and English-speaking schools?

A N T O N I O S A I O T E P L AY S : 5 R V LY R E 1 3 S E R I E S , M 3 0 M O U T H P I E C E S , 5 6 R U E L E P I C R E E D S N ° 5

15

I have learned to compare these schools. In France,there is less and less work with the piano andchamber music. This is probably due to our indivi-dualistic temperament, which makes us prefer thework of a soloist. We also focus more on theory. Inthe United States, there is a lot of orchestral music.There is a tradition not to “open” sound, to seek a

more centred and intimate sound. In Germany, thework is perhaps more rigorous and produces excellent

results in terms of accuracy. It is necessary to reconcile thenotion of freedom and imagination of the Latins with the rigour anddiscipline of the Germans and Anglo-Saxons. My theory of contrastswould be “Latin” teachers in Germany or in the USA!

What advice would you give to young professionals?Once instrumentalists become professionals, they should notadopt the attitude of a star. They should step aside in favour of themusic. They should be capable of not always playing in the sameway so that they can be ready to rediscover a work. Perfection doesnot exist but we can try and approach it, and this is what bringssatisfaction.

What about interpretation?I have conducted for six years, in particular, with a student of PierreMonteux, George Hurst, and this has allowed me to get to know manyforms of music. In my view, one should above all take time before propo-sing an interpretation. For example, I differentiate between being“impressionist” and “romantic”. With impressionism, one plays with

colour rather than with a tempo. With romanticism, there is frequently atendency to be too extravagant.

What priority do you give to material?It is important to insist on tradition and not to adopt bad interpre-tation habits. Today, the “patina” is in the process of being lost. Icannot accept that a student has the same tone for Brahms as forBeethoven. It is necessary to work the phrasing, which is in linewith the start and the end, and to always look for good tastebecause it keeps extravagance under control. As for commonsense, this is not something that can be taught.

What advice would you give about choosing a mouthpiece?The mouthpiece must be adapted to the repertory. Sound is equiva-lent to words, it is like the soul. Having an attractive sound is notenough. If I hear Rossini with a dark sonority, the student would dobetter to play Reger or blues. The sound should be placed like a sin-ger, with the harmonics, and the mouthpiece must also have resis-tance. At the moment, I play a 5RV Lyre Series 13 – a model I like verymuch – with the M30 on the clarinet in A, which is very suitable forthis instrument.

What do you expect of the reeds you play?I allow the reeds to dry out at home, “I know them like the back ofmy hand”. In a concert hall, with a chamber music colleague, Imake my final choice between 4 to 8 reeds selected in advance.When I practise at home, I prefer a stronger reed while at theConservatory, I tend to take one that is not so strong. Appreciating

“The first thing to tellyourself is : I don’t know”

interview

Antonio Saiote

CLARINET PLAYER AND CONDUCTOR, PORTO, PORTUGAL

16

Antonio Saiotea reed is a bit like the bouquet of a wine. You do not choose a winebecause it is the most expensive one, the darkest or the mildest.Likewise, the woman you adore is not necessarily the most beauti-ful. Over time, you give preference to charisma, intelligence andsensitivity. When a reed is suitable, you quickly forget that it is toolight or too dark. With some reeds, everything is possible, the lega-tos and the staccatos, because the registers are balanced. But

others will not “merge” with the other instruments, for example,there will obviously be different registers for the piano if you areonly capable of producing a dark sonority. Of course, when you areyoung, you want a “big” sound (volume rather than timbre, withthe help of strong reeds). You look for an effect for the sake of pro-ducing an effect, but when you really learn, you start by looking forsomething else.

Hiroshi Hara

What were your first influences?While attending secondary school, I had an opportunity to listen toa recording of the Concertino of Ibert by Marcel Mule. This mademe decide to learn how to play the saxophone and to listen torecordings by current French interpreters, such as ClaudeDelangle, Jean-Yves Fourmeau and J.D. Michat. My first teacher,Mr. Y. Hattori taught me a lot, especially the basic techniques. Mr.Kanzo Tomioka completed my musical training. Unlike the Frenchsystem, I learned music at university. Students enter the MusicAcademy of Shobi with a level of Bac+3, for two to six years ofstudy, and in my case, two renewable years.

How did you experience the Dinant Competition?I entered for the first time in 1994, without understanding musictoo much, I was not ready. Then I won a first prize in Japan in 1996.This gave me confidence but also made me realise that I still hada long way to go before reaching a better international level. ManyJapanese people believe it is sufficient to play a lot in order to begood. In Dinant, I was surprised by the differences in terms of qua-

lity and emission of sound compared to the Japanese. The Latinsand Americans each have a different sound, but usually morebeautiful. In 2002, I entered again at Dinant, and won the firstprize. The candidates were different from those of 1994 but thestandard seemed to have remained the same. The following pieceswere obligatory to enter the Japanese wind instrument competition: Concertino by Ibert, 2nd movement, as a first trial; Sonata byDenisov, 2nd and 3rd movements; then Concert Music by Constant;and as a Finale, the Concerto by Larsson.

Were you subject to any other influences afterwards?I cannot think of anyone in particular. I took on a little bit of thevibrato of one musician, the staccato of another. Sports men alsoinfluenced me, for instance, the personality of Mr. Matsuhi, abaseball player in New York.

Do you restrict yourself to a classical repertory?I love classical music, including contemporary classical music. Ido not know the Japanese repertory in this field very well. Nor have

“If one finds something good outside, it should be included in the teaching”

WINNER OF THE FIRST PRIZE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SAXOPHONECOMPETITION AT DINANT 2002

interview

17

I practised other types of music much, such as jazz or light music.

How is French music perceived in Japan?The Japanese have difficulty in understanding French music. Howcan you sing a melody or interpret it without having the same tradi-tion? This being said, when there is a problem, you should try andsolve it yourself without necessarily turning to a particular professor.

Compared to the training you received, would you also like to havehad more training for chamber music or the orchestra?I am satisfied with the training I have already received. If I had togive lessons in the future, I would not like to repeat the same thingbecause of changes (techniques, etc). If one finds something goodoutside, it should be included in the teaching.

What are your criteria when choosing material?For the reeds, I played Vandoren like everybody else, my teachers,my friends. Now it is based on a carefully considered choice, and Iam satisfied. I play 3.5 reeds, on the soft side, with a good balan-ce between blowing and sound.

How do you select your reeds? Do you alternate them?I buy one box every month but always have about ten boxes at mydisposal. I play a reed for about ten minutes a day (in one day,

I play a maximum of one box). Then I allow the reed to rest for seve-ral days before playing it again. I like to replay reeds bought fourmonths previously. With reeds that have been prepared over a per-iod of four months, you can have a number of reeds ready for aconcert, and they can last for two to three months with this system.

Do you recommend this system to your students?Yes, I think it is applicable to everyone.

How do you choose your mouthpieces?I look for an easy and pure emission.

Why did you choose the A28?Two years ago, I had a mouthpiece by another make. But since somany saxophonists play Vandoren, I told myself I should try one. Ifinally found the A28 that suited me, it is what I was looking forfrom the point of view of sonority. Each make has its advantagesand its differences.

Let us talk about the future? Do you have any dreams?Yes, for example, to give a recital in Paris one day. I also dream offorming a quartet of saxophones, but I have to find the musicians.

H I R O S H I H A R A P L AY S : S 1 5 , A 2 8 , T 2 7 M O U T H P I E C E S , T R A D . R E E D S 3 , 5

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CLARINET

10 ans avec la clarinette.P. Dutrieu, J.M. Foltz, G. Swierc, G. Thomé.I.P.M.C., October 2003, 120 pagesVandoren Ref: 1CL9009Eleven years after the first edi-tion, a new team (who, notably,worked on the Vandoren collec-tions) offers this precious bookenriched by new sections (old cla-rinet, bass clarinet, etc). A specialchapter concentrates on the firstand 10th year.

La clarinette à l’école demusique. Vol.1 & 2 + CD.Jean-Louis Margo.Lemoine, 2003.Réf. Vandoren : 2CLP241 and2CLP242.A new method in 2 volumes, eachaccompanied by a CD. 1st volu-me: medium and low registers.Changes in fingering techniquesthat take into account the some-

times limited finger span of youngstudents, by delaying difficult fin-gering as long as possible and byproposing several solutions tostart. 2nd volume: high register.The CDs offer accompaniments,highlighting a wide variety of ins-truments, in all styles, startingfrom the initial exercises.

Clarinette panorama.Philippe Tormen, I.M.D., January 2004Vandoren Ref: 1CL8892Methods, studies, pieces for theclarinet and piano for the first andsecond cycles. Interview withauthors of methods, ingenuouscomparative tables of works, byyear, with numerous criteria.Complementary to the book “10ans”, mentioned above, and just asuseful for teachers (the authoralso worked on the Vandoren col-lections).

Les plaisirs de la clarinette. Clarinette et piano + CDVarious authorsCloudens, 2003Vandoren Ref: 2CLP23Florent Delporte and MarcBercovitz made an album of aselection of famous pieces by

Gounod, Verdi, Tchaikovsky,Borodin, Mozart, Berlioz, Bizetand Mussorgsky, but also moreunusual pieces, such as theEspana by Charbrier.

CLARINETOR SAXOPHONEAirs célèbres d’Opéra pour altosax (or soprano or tenor) or Bpclarinet and piano, Volume 2.Scores and CD piano playbackSeveral authors (Ghidoni)LeducVandoren Ref: 1CS1073Airs by Donzetti (L’Elisir),Offenbach (Bell Hélène), Verdi(Aida, Rigoletto, Traviata).Reminder of the volume publi-shed in 1997: works by Bizet(Carmen), Gluck (Orpheus),Puccini (Tosca), Verdi (Rigoletto,Traviata). The Concerto forClarinet by Ghidoni, previouslypublished in Italy, was releasedrecently by Leduc. Ref. : 1CL9024

1CL9024.

Tango-Etudes (or Etudes tanguis-tiques” for alto sax (or clarinet)and piano Astor Piazzola.Vandoren Ref: 1CS118 4After the Tango-Etudes of 1988,made in collaboration with ClaudeDelangle in 1988, the publisherasked the composer to harmonisethem. Here at last is a version withpiano, after meticulous workundertaken by Yann Ollivo on theinterpretation of the manuscript.Some notes on the stave are ambi-guous, and these are indicated.

CLASSICALSAXOPHONE

Etudes pour saxophone, Volumes 1 & 2Several authors.Lemoine. 2003.Vandoren Ref: 1SA252These difficult studies by ninecomposers are each dedicated toa student of the Paris CNSM. Theyall focus on a specific contempo-rary effect (bisbigliando, tone,overblowing, slap, circular brea-thing, etc). Reminder: 56 recrea-tional studies in 2 volumes by GuyLacour with + CD recorded byJean-Yves Fourneau, publishedby Billaudot. Ref : 2SAP287 and2SAP291.

A Comprehensive Guide to theSaxophone Repertoire 1844-2003. Londeix, Jean-Marie. Roncorp, 2003, bound, 646 pagesVandoren Ref : 1SA5434.A new French-English edition ofthe famous (and indispensable)repertory of Jean-Marie Londeix,now consisting of over 18,000works for the saxophone.

scores

The latest from the Vandoren

3

Saxophone High Tones: a systema-tic approach to the extension ofthe range of all the Saxophones:Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone2nd edition Eugene Rousseau.St Louis (USA). MMB Music. 2002.Vandoren Ref : 1SA5413.This second edition in English, witha preface by Claude Delangle,offers additional fingering tech-niques and new acoustics on thehigh tones.

JAZZSAXOPHONE

Developing a jazz language +CD(Inside Improvisation Series ; 6).Bergonzi, JerryAdvance, 2003.Vandoren Ref: 2CSP14The 6th volume of the method (saxand all instruments) by JerryBergonzi is based on listening, asin the case of spoken language.Over one hundred specific piecesof advice are discussed to give theimproviser more means forexpression.

Sheet Music StoreTo order directly from Vandoren, telephone us at (+33) 1 53 41 83 00 or send us a fax at (+33) 1 53 41 83 01,or by e-mail at: partitions@vandoren.fr

For information, lists of new scores-CDs, send an e-mail to: jmpaul@vandoren.fr

www.vandobase.comIt is now possible to search in the catalogue according to subject (e.g. Scores then Methods) or any word in the authors/titles database (“search”). This catalogue will be updated regularly.

THE SHEET MUSIC STORE AT VANDOREN

J E A N - M A R I E P A U L

20

It is 5 o’clock in the morning,and Paris is waking up.Accompanied by the chirpingof our great and latelamented flautist, RogerBourdin, the refrain from asong by Jacques Dutroncwanders through my mindand brings me back graduallyto the memory of reading theprophetic book by Alain

Peyrefitte, “The Awakening of China”.This is normal for I have justreturned from China. I againdip into this remarkable bookby this fine diplomat whotried, in his time, to shedlight on the way the oldestcivilisation in the worldsought to become the newestone through an effervescentpresent. The pages haveyellowed over time but the

book is still striking for itssharp and topical remarks.

First of all Shanghai … My stopover in Shanghai, thevenue for the very firstInternational Congress on theClarinet to be organised inAsia, gave me a deliciousforetaste of what was tocome. On October 3, thisgigantic city woke up to thesound of numerous andvaried preludes, as onlyclarinet players from all overthe world know how to play.Each guest artist gave arecital. Richard Vieille and Irepresented France, and inthis capacity, our missionwas to represent the Frenchschool and its composers andto give classes to Chineseclarinet players. I am neithera prophet nor a diplomat, butI can assure you that in thevery near future, we shall getto know the “Yo-Yo-Ma” of theclarinet. These younginstrumentalists are eager tolearn. Their energy at work isbreathtaking, and this isquite a challenge for aclarinet teacher! But what ajoy it is for every teacher to becarried away by suchenthusiasm. The repertory ofthese young musicians is verybroad. I was able to discover

some very interesting scores,which only goes to prove –and this is very reassuring –that one learns something atall stages in life! Thestudents play with good andup-to-date material(clarinets, mouthpieces andreeds). The very successfulCongress ended brilliantlywith a magnificent cruisedown the Yang Tse Kiang,which gave us an opportunityto discover “Shanghai byNight”, in a symphony oflights worthy of the greatestcities in the world. As weglided over the water, we sawthe sumptuous and magicalOpera House of Shanghai,with Puccini’s Turandot on theprogramme. I left this citywith a twinge of regret, forthese encounters wereenriching both from themusical and the humanpoints of view. I continued myjourney and landed after atwo-hour flight in Canton,a town situated at the mouth of the Si Kiang.

Next, Canton …I was very warmly received byXi Wei Long, Clarinet Teacherat the Conservatory of Music(see photo). The Xinghai is avery attractive building in theheart of a huge campus that

”

postcards

Guy DangainCLARINET PLAYER, FORMER SOLOIST,ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE

Our musicians write

C H I N A

G U Y D A N G A I N P L AY S : M O U T H P I E C E S 5 R V LY R E , R E E D S V 1 2 3 , 5 / 4

21

groups together severalteaching institutions andstudents’ residences. The complex is composedof eight departments:Musicology – ChineseTraditional Music –Orchestras – Vocal andChoral Music – Piano andString Instruments – Windand Brass Instruments –General Education – andSports. I regret that we inFrance have not adopted thiskind of integrated system,since our students are oftenfar from their music school. Itwas an immense pleasure forme to teach in this setting.Being very attached to windorchestras, I had the privilegeof conducting the Orchestraof Young Musicians from theMusic Academy of Canton. Onthe programme was Carmenby Bizet, a royal – evenimperial – gift!

Return to Paris …I do not feel sleepy! MyChinese adventure hasinspired me to reflect on theperpetuation of music forwind instruments. This Frenchtradition has beensuccessfully transmitted bythe Garde Républicaine in theUnited States and Japan,which in turn passed it on toKorea, Taiwan and now China.

It is almost impossible toimagine the number ofmusicians and the volume ofmusic for wind instrumentsthat is currently beingdeveloped in this vastcountry, so rapidly and seriously! Our country,France, should – and I say it without acrimony – “wake up” and revivethe beacon of our culture, which sparkles in the mirror of the rising sun.

to us …

Ihave been the classicalsaxophone teacher in theIndiana University School ofMusic since 2001, teaching awide range of students in theBachelor of Music, Master ofMusic, and Doctor of Musicdegree programs. I havestudents from many differentbackgrounds and schools ofplaying. Each student hassomething unique to offer,creating a wonderful learningenvironment. Over the years, I have testeda number of different typesof mouthpieces. When I firstplayed the Optimum AL3, Iknew immediately that it wassomething special. The AL3’sprecise response, exact

intonation, and round andeven tone color throughoutthe full range of theinstrument put it in a classby itself. I have beenextremely happy with thismouthpiece.I strongly recommendagainst any of my studentsusing the same equipment. I try my best to give themfreedom in choosing theequipment that works thebest for each of them. To myamazement, however, all ofmy 17 saxophone studentshere at Indiana University areplaying the VandorenOptimum AL3 alto saxophonemouthpiece at this time.

Testing a SaxophoneMouthpiece:When testing a newmouthpiece, I use reeds ofslightly different strengths. I play various passages overthe entire range of thesaxophone that are fast andslow, high and low, loud andsoft, and long and short.After becoming acquainted

U S AOtisMurphyPROFESSOR, INDIANAUNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC, USA

”“

O T I S M U R P H Y P L AY S : A L 3 M O U T H P I E C E , T R A D R E E D S N ° 3 .

22

I began by jazz & pop, I also learned the bassoon. My father was a conductor, interested in pop music ; I really wantedto learn sax,I went to Koln(Cologne), there was no saxteacher, so I began to learnby myself with a friend. Thisfriend introduced me in 1989in Holland to Tom de Vette,

professor in Rotterdam. This was the first time I was acquainted to classicalsax sound and repertoire, along with jazz. I became thefirst Korean student to studyin Holland, majoring in

conducting and saxophone. I was already conductor in Seoul, Korea.I met Claude Delangle andJean-Marie Londeix. I was also interestedto come to Paris, because of Vandoren and Selmer.Anyway I was the first korean player to use Vandoren reeds !

The first year I taught, my students had not heard of Vandoren. So I introducedthem to the “Vandorendifference”… Now I am alsoplaying as a “Selmer Artist”sponsored by Nonaka Boeki Co.

We do not have Koreanrepertoire for saxophone yet.Every year I arrange two orthree pieces for mysaxophone ensemble.I like to play pieces likeGlazounov or Creston.We played in Paris in 2003with the Korean SaxophoneEnsemble wich I formedwith 20 students. We playcomposers like Massenet,L. Niehaus, J. Kern,...I like a warm, round andsomewhat dark sound.

Personally, I began to teach11 years ago, now I have 8-9students in each of the 7Universities where I teach, sothat makes around 60students ; they are around 16years old when they begin,after graduating from highschool… One of my students,Soonsub Jung, graduated inRueil-Malmaison, he teachesin 5 Universities.

I was at Vandoren in 2003 totry the new AL3 and AL4

mouthpieces ! I am alwaysinterested by new models.Usually I do not use the samemouthpieces when I playin a classical orchestra and pop orchestra. Last year I broke my A27 and was very unhappy !My young students playVandoren 2 1/2 reeds. They do not have problemswith them. We rarely usea reed resurfacer.

The future of the sax in Korea ?We have to make connectionswith the other saxophoneassociations in the world. We have to learn classicaland jazz music from Europeand America, but also to findnew ways of merging withtraditional Asian music. In 2002, I played at the“United Nations Center” inNew York to celebrate “U.N.Day” on the 21st of Octoberjazz music with a traditionalKorean orchestra. I arrangeda saxophone version from a Korean composer.

K O R E A”

with characteristics of thenew mouthpiece, I play thesame passages on mycurrent mouthpiece,comparing good and badqualities of each. To me, theresponse and feel are mostimportant. Next, the tone

quality has to be even, round,and natural.

When my students choose anew mouthpiece, I recommendusually that they do this withsomeone who can listen andhelp them judge which

mouthpiece is the best. Whenassisting my students, I closemy eyes or look away so that Ido not know which mouthpieceis being played. I do my bestto listen only with my ears, notwith my eyes. I love the saxophone--

playing, teaching, andlearning about it. Playing thesaxophone is one of the mostnatural ways for me toexpress myself. It is anamazing musical instrument.Happy practicing!

“

“

Otis Murphy

Kim DaewooPROFESSOR IN SEOUL, PRESIDENT OF THE KOREANSAXOPHONE ASSOCIATION

K I M D A E W O O P L AY S : A L 3 M O U T H P I E C E , T R A D . R E E D S 3

56 : a very specialnumber !

new products

OPTIMUM mouthpiece series

New jazz ZZ reeds for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone

In tests with Jazz saxophonists, the artists found the new reedto be immediately responsive without sacrificing the brightness or

tone quality required for their style of music.• For Alto and Tenor sax :strengths 1,5 – 2 – 2,5 – 3– 3,5 and 4. • For Soprano and Baritone:strengths 2 – 2 ,5 – 3 – 3,5and 4

Available in two tip opening/facing combinations:

AL3 OPTIMUM mouthpiece :

Its easy sound production, owing to its new facing, is the resultof a collaboration between a team of saxophonists from diffe-rent backgrounds.

AL4 OPTIMUM mouthpiece :

This mouthpiece is inspired by the A28 in terms of tip opening andlength of facing, with the new OPTIMUM free-blowing design.

Glass Reed Resurfacer and Reed Stick Made from precision etched glass, durable surface, washablefor continuous, accurate use.

Named for the home of Vandoren, the 56 Rue Lepic is the newestaddition to Vandoren’s much-heralded line of clarinet reeds.

Designed from thicker cane, the 56 emits a rich, centered, andextremely pure sound while providing maximum stability andquick response in all registers.

Strength gradations are smaller and more specific,resulting inreeds that are very consistent.

The 56 Rue Lepic comes in Vandoren's exclusive humidity balan-ced, factory- fresh packaging.

• For Bb clarinet # 2,5 - 3 - 3,5 - 3,5+ - 4 - 5

Vandoren - 56 rue Lepic, 75018 Paris

Tel. (+33) 1 53 41 83 00 • Fax (+33) 1 53 41 83 01 • email : info@vandoren.fr • Website : www.vandoren.com

Registration of Copyright, Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, march 2004

Publication Manager : Bernard Van Doren - Editor : Jean-Marie Paul

With the contribution of : Anne-Sophie Van Doren (interviews of Vandoren advisors),

Jean-Marie Paul (interviews of musicians, new scores). Photos : Nicolas Roux Dit Buisson, Roland Pierry (Photo of mr Deffayet).

Desktop publishing : Christophe Hauser / La Maison. Tél. 01 40 90 02 20