 | The contrabass saxophone (photo: Courtesy of Angeline Evans) is one of the lowest-pitched members of the saxophone family. It is extremely large (twice the length of tubing of the baritone saxophone, with a bore twice as wide, standing 1.9 meters tall, or 6 feet four inches) and heavy (approximately 20 kilograms, or 45 pounds), and is pitched in the key of EE♭, one octave below the baritone. Approximately 25 examples of this instrument exist in the world today including recently made instruments and a handful of surviving examples from the saxophone craze of the 1920s by Evette-Schaeffer and Kohlert. The worldwide number of existing contrabass saxophones is currently growing by 4 or 5 instruments each year. |
| Due to its large body and wide bore, the sound of the contrabass saxophone has great acoustical presence and a very rich tone. It can be smooth and mellow, or harsh and buzzy depending on the player, and on the mouthpiece and reed combination used. Its middle and upper registers are warm, full, and expressive. | |
Marcel W. Helland playing his ORSI Eb contrabass saxophone "The Butterfly Lovers" performed by The Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra, US. The entire "Family of Saxophones" is featured - the tiny sopranino, the soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass and the rare and monstrous 6'8" contrabass. Anthony Braxton, Iridium, 04/01/07 Prev Top Next |
