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.
Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd
Part of the Music Commons

TRANSCRIBING STRING MUSIC FOR SAXOPHONE: A PRESENTATION OF
CLAUDE DEBUSSY'S CELLO SONATA FOR BARITONE SAXOPHONE
by
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
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
ii
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.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. vi
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1
CHAPTER 1: THE MOTIVE FOR TRANSCRIPTION ...................................... 4
Defending the Performance of Transcriptions .......................................... 4

Why Arrange Debussys 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 ............... 15

Range and the Use of Altissimo .............................................................. 17
Prologue ....................................................................................... 19
Srnade ...................................................................................... 26
Finale ........................................................................................... 31
Adapting Multiple Stopping in String Music
for Saxophone Performance .................................................................. 35
Prologue ....................................................................................... 36
Srnade ...................................................................................... 37
Finale ........................................................................................... 38
Multiple Tonguing ................................................................................... 42
Interpreting Score Markings Intended for Stringed Instruments ............. 45
Pizzicato: To Slap or not to Slap? ............................................... 45
Vibrato ......................................................................................... 50
Portando ....................................................................................... 53
Sur la Touche ............................................................................... 54
Sur le Chevalet ............................................................................ 55
CONCLUSION ................................................................................................... 57
APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE NOTES FOR DEBUSSYS

CELLO SONATA ...................................................................... 59
iv
APPENDIX B: EDITORIAL NOTES ................................................................. 62
Prologue ................................................................................................... 62
Srnade .................................................................................................. 62
Finale ...................................................................................................... 63
APPENDIX C: DEBUSSYS CELLO SONATA ADAPTED FOR BARITONE

SAXOPHONE .......................................................................... 64
Sonata (Prologue) .................................................................................... 65

Srnade et Finale .................................................................................... 68
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 75
v
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 Srnade from saxophone part ....................................... 27
13. Measures 47-50 of Srnade from saxophone part ................................... 27
14. Altissimo fingering diagram ...................................................................... 28
15. Measures 23-24 of Srnade from saxophone part ................................... 29
16. Measure 60 of Srnade 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
23. Measures 105-111 of Finale from saxophone part .................................... 34
vi
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 Srnade from saxophone part ....................................... 37

33. Examples of articulation ............................................................................ 47
34. Measure 1 of Srnade from original cello part ........................................ 48
35. Measure 10 of Srnade from saxophone part .......................................... 48
36. Measures 6-7 of Srnade from original cello part ................................... 49
vii
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 Shostakovichs 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 Shostakovichs 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 transcribethinking 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 cellists 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.

4
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 Saxs new instruments. Berliozs early endorsement of
the saxophone was certain to have aided Sax in procuring the talents of other
noteworthy composers such as Jules Demersseman, Hyacinthe Klos, Jean-Baptiste
Singele, and Joseph Arban to write for saxophones. Nonetheless, the early repertoire
of the saxophone was necessarily rich with transcriptions.1
Many of the saxophones 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 Wisconsin-
Madison, 1975).
3 Hemke, The Early History of the Saxophone.

5
Despite this long history of saxophonists performing transcriptions since the
earliest years of the instruments 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
understandingan 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 Debussys Cello Sonata for Saxophone?
If there is a single piece that exemplifies the value of arranging string music
for saxophone, I believe that Debussys 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 Debussys 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
instruments 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 violinparticularly 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 Beethovens 5th Symphony for saxophone choir). Although I
will discuss the more specific criteria I used in selecting Claude Debussys 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 instruments 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 celloparticularly
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 saxophones tone in
comparison to the lighter sound of the cello, which is created by the richness of
overtones heard in the cellos 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 Csar Francks 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 Debussys 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, composers 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 communitys familiarity
with the music of Debussy is something I hope will make these musicians receptive to
this transcription.
I listened to Debussys 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
instruments 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 Debussys 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 Debussys cello sonata, there are also many studies of the
historical context of Debussys late works. These look at Debussys 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.
Debussys 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 Universitys 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 Debussys 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 projecthow 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.
15
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 Debussys cello sonata
for baritone saxophone required the counsel of three expertsa 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 cellists 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.
Arnones input help clarify performance issues related specifically to Debussys 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 fine-
tune 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.
Sullivans 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 compositions
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 Debussys 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 saxophones
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.). Debussys cello
sonata poses many challenges related to range and the use of the saxophones
altissimo register. Yet the flexibility of the baritone saxophones altissimo register
offers saxophonists many performance solutions. Despite the difficulties in using the
baritone saxophones 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 Debussys 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 persons
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 figurethe 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 ones 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#6s 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 3consequently 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 pitchall 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 A6for 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
Srnade
The Srnade does not pose as many challenges involving altissimo as do the
surrounding movements. The most difficult aspect of the altissimo in the Srnade is
that nearly half of the altissimo notes are surrounded by very quick changes in register.
One other challenging element involving altissimo in the Srnade 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
Srnade. 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 14s fingering is again the most effective
fingering for this note.
Figure 12. Measures 7-8 of Srnade from saxophone part
Measures 47-50 of the Srnade 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 shows measures 23 and 24 from the Srnade. 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 Debussys cello sonataspecifically the mimicry of Pierrots 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 beatstarting, 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 Srnade 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 Srnade 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 Debussys cello part of the sonata offers
the most difficult altissimo passage of the entire composition. Not only do measures 7-
17 contain notes from the upper end of the baritone saxophones 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 saxophonists 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.
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 tonguinganother 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
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 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 saxophones ability to recreate multiple stops, as the instruments
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 Debussys 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 Debussys 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
Srnade
Measures 5-7 of the Srnade 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 Arnones observations, I found that this excerpt poses
problems for saxophone performance. Although Debussys 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 Srnade, the
same chords appear and are adapted in the same way as those seen in Figure 26.
Finale
The final movement of Debussys 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).

39
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.

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.
Measures 120 and 121 (seen in Figure 31) are reminiscent of measures 112-
114 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
Multiple Tonguing
In the saxophones 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 Ebys 1922 Scientific
Method for Saxophone, Henry Webers 1926 Sax Acrobatix, and Jimmy Dorseys
1940 A School of Modern Rhythmic Saxophone Playing all contain sections dedicated
to teaching multiple tonguing on the saxophone. In 1963, Larry Teals 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 repertoires 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 Debussys 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.
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
Debussys 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 string-
specific 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.
Debussys 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 Debussys 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 Debussys 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 articulationall 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 Srnade, 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 Srnade from original cello part
Figure 35. Measure 10 of Srnade from saxophone part
One instance in which the faux-slap technique is recommended comes in
measure 10 of the Srnade (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 Srnade 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 Srnade, 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 Debussys cello sonata, cellists
must manipulate their instrument in many ways. For a saxophonist performing

50
Debussys 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 Debussys 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 listeners 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 Debussys 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 saxophones 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 saxophonists
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 ones approach to
vibrato, especially in cases where the original music may be less familiar.
In Debussys 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 Srnade.
The other two vibrato markings are at moments when the tempo slows
significantly and the cello lines 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 dclam 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 Srnade.
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 Debussys 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 Debussys 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. Arnones 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
cellos 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 cellos 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 Debussys 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 cellos 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 Debussys 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 Debussys 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 works 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 DEBUSSYS CELLO SONATA
This arrangement is based on the first edition of Debussy's Sonate pour violoncelle et
piano, published by Durand.
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 Srnade mm. 12, 52-53.
Appassionato [It.]. Impassioned.
Attaca [It.]. Continue without pause.
Au mouvement (mouvt.) [Fr.]. At tempo.
Cdez [Fr.]. Yield, slow down.
Con [It., Sp.]. With.
Dclam [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
Srnade 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.
Lger [Fr.]. Light, quick.
Legierissimo [It.]. As lightly and nimbly as possible.
Lent [Fr.]. Slow.
Lento [It.]. Slow.
Lusingando [It.]. Caressing, alluring.
Marqu [Fr.]. Marked, accented, emphasized.
Meno mosso [It.]. Less movement.
Moiti [Fr.]. Half.
Morbidezza [It.]. Delicately, softly.
Nerveux [Fr.]. Excited, impatient, agitated.
Pi [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 Srnade 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
Srnade
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
DEBUSSYS CELLO SONATA ADAPTED FOR BARITONE SAXOPHONE

Sonata 65
Transcribed from the cello sonata for baritone saxophone
Claude Debussy
Prologue Arr. Nathan B. Bogert
$ = 48 -- 54
' ' ' ' ''
Lent sostenuto e molto risoluto
#!
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''
f
(' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
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5
" ' ' ' ' ' '

'
dim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(+ '
Cdez Poco animando
' ' ' )'
' '' ' )'
' ' *'
' ' *' , #' ' ' ' ' '
## ' ' ' '' '
6
" *' '

*' &- &
dolce sostenuto
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# ' '''
9
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pi p
pi dolce
' '' 1
# *' ' ' ' ' '
13
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-
pp
au Mouvt.
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p p p p
Copyright Never Been Better Music 2012

66
'''' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '

19
## ''' '
- '' ''
" ''''''''''
3
mf f dim p
Animando poco a poco (Agitato)
#
21 (flautando)
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pp pp
##
23
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pp pp sempre animando e crescendo
#
25
" # ' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 '
au Mouvt. (largement dclam)

(
' ' # ' '! ' ' ' '
# ' ''' &
27
' ' -
" # ' '2 '2 '' '2 '2 ' ' '2 '2 '' '2 '2 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
3 portando
molto cresc. f molto sostenuto
(' ' (' ' ' ' ' (' ' ' ' (' ' '
'+ ' ' ' '' ' '
# ' - ' '' ' ' ''
30
"# - '
f 3
3
67
1'+
'
Rubato
" # & '''' ! - ' ' ' ' '2#'2 ' ' ' '. ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
Cdez - - - - - - -
# ' ' ' '
33 3
' .
3 3
3 3
2 ' ' 3
3 3
dim. pi p lusingando pp
' ' ' ' ' ' *' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' #' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' *' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' #' '
(quazi cadenza)
#
37
"#
p p
En Serrant - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Retenu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
' ' *' ' ' #' ' ' *' ' ' ' ' ' ' #' ' ' *' ' ' #' ' ' *' ' ' #' ' ' ' *'
#
38
"#
molto dim.
au Mouvt. (poco animando)
#' ' ' ' ' ' '

## -
39 ' '' '
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'' '&/
dolce sostenuto
pi dolce
' ' ''' ' ''

Lento
' & ' ' ' ' ! '- ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
## ' '''
43 poco vibrato
" / &
'''
pi p 3
p
#" ___________________
' '' + 3 +
# ' '
' ' +
47 flautando
"#& & '' ' 0

3 3
'''' '''' ' pp ppp
pi p
Srnade et Finale 68
Srnade
)
Modrment anim (72= )
Fantasque et lger
## ! ( *
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#
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15
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69
Cdez
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3
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#
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molto
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29
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3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
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30
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pp leggierissimo 3 3 3 mf mf 3 3
mf
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ammer , Christine. The A to Z of Foreign Musical Terms: From Adagio to Zierlich, a

Dictionary for Performers and Students. Boston: E. C. Schirmer Music Co.,
1989.
Bieber, Arnold Bruce. Adapting, Transcribing, and Arranging World Music for
Western Instrumental Performance. EdD diss., Columbia University, 1997.
Cantrell, Elizabeth Knowles. Analysis of Debussys Sonata for Cello and Piano.
DMA diss., University of Georgia, 1988.
Caravan, Ronald L. Extensions of Technique for Clarinet and Saxophone. DMA

diss., University of Rochester, Eastman School of music, 1974.
Clevenger, John Robert. The Origins of Debussys Style. PhD diss., University of
Rochester, Eastman School of Music, 2002.
Cohen, Paul. Concert Reviews. Saxophone Symposium 9/2 (Spring 1984): 26-29.
Coker, Bradley Gene. The Employment of Historically-Informed Performance

Practice in Present-Day Tuba Performances of Two Italian Baroque
Violincello Transcriptions. DMA diss., University of North Texas, 2008.
Davidian, Teresa Maria. Debussys Sonata Forms. PhD diss., University of Chicago,
1988.
Debussy, Claude. Sonate pour violoncelle et piano. Paris: Durand, 1915.
Dorsey, Jimmy. A School of Modern Rhythmic Saxophone Playing. New York:

Roncorp, 1940.
Dulmage, Barbara S. The Art of Transcription as Reflected in Bachs Concertos

BWV 592-596. DMA diss., The University of Iowa, 1997.
Eby, Walter. Scientific Method for Saxophone. New York: Walter Jacobs, Inc.,
1922.
Erdmann, Thomas. Kenneth Tse. Saxophone Journal 31/6 (July/August 2007): 30-
32.
Friedman, Edward Arthur. Texture and Ornament in the Music of Claude Debussy.
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76
Hemke, Fred L. The Early History of the Saxophone. DMA diss., University of
Wisconsin, 1975.
Hong, Sunkyoung. A Stylistic Analysis and Technical Consideration of Debussys

Sonata for Cello and Piano. DMA diss., City University of New York, 2002.
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Cambridge University Press, 1998.
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Sergei Rachmaninoffs Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Minor, Op.19. DMA
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Kwon, Yoohee. Tradition and Innovation in the Three Late Sonatas of Debussy.
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Lenz, Eric David. Neoclassicism in Claude Debussys Sonate pour Violincelle et

Piano. DMA diss., University of Alabama, 2002.
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Marion, Gregory John. Telling Tales in Selected Compositions of Claude Debussy.

Ph.D diss., University of Michigan, 2000.
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his Late Works (1911-1915). PhD diss., University of California, Santa
Barbara, 1997.
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Baritone Saxophone. DMA diss., The University of Texas at Austin, 2001.
Park, Raymond Roy. The Later Style of Claude Debussy. PhD diss., University of
Michigan, 1967.
Patrick, Lee. Transcriptions, Then and Now. Saxophone Journal 17, 6 (May/June
1993): 22-26.
Ragno, Janelle Suzanne. The Lutheran Hymn Ein Feste Burg in Claude Debussys
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University Press, 2003.
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Rousseau, Eugene. High Tones For Saxophone. Saint Louis: MMB Music, 2002.
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Debussy: A Comparison of Two Performance Editions. DMA diss.,
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University of Iowa

Iowa Research Online

Transcribing string music for saxophone: a

Copyright 2013 Nathan Bancroft Bogert

This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2442

Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd

Part of the Music Commons

An essay submitted in partial fulfillment

Essay Supervisor: Associate Professor Kenneth Tse

This is to certify that the D.M.A. Essay of

Nathan Bancroft Bogert

has been approved by the Examining Committee

I would like to begin by thanking my family, whose unending support for

grow as both a musician and as a person. I am so grateful to all of my saxophone

Dr. Eugene Rousseau. Their advice has been invaluable to my development as a

LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. vi

CHAPTER 1: THE MOTIVE FOR TRANSCRIPTION ...................................... 4

Defending the Performance of Transcriptions .......................................... 4

CHAPTER 2: THE SELECTION PROCESS ....................................................... 9

Comparing Saxophones to Strings ............................................................ 9

CHAPTER 3: ADAPTING SCORES WRITTEN FOR STRINGED

Fundamental Steps in Arranging String Music for Saxophone ............... 15

APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE NOTES FOR DEBUSSYS

APPENDIX C: DEBUSSYS CELLO SONATA ADAPTED FOR BARITONE

Sonata (Prologue) .................................................................................... 65

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

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

Both as an audience member and as a performer, I have been fortunate to

encounter many transcriptions. These musical experiences have enriched my musical

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

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

after performing Shostakovichs quartet is something I will always remember.

convincingly to string instrumentalists. Rather than attempt to convince any other

musicians of the importance or validity of performing transcriptions, I thought it best

I tried thinking of myself as an aspiring cellist studying a new piece. After

saxophone, I consulted a cellist in order to understand better the tradition of

transcribing and arranging various compositions.

it will present my demonstration of this process through an arrangement of Claude

Debussy's Sonate pour violoncelle et piano.

THE MOTIVE FOR TRANSCRIPTION

Defending the Performance of Transcriptions

In 1844, Hector Berlioz hosted a recital in Paris featuring arrangements of his

noteworthy composers such as Jules Demersseman, Hyacinthe Klos, Jean-Baptiste

of the saxophone was necessarily rich with transcriptions.1

Many of the saxophones earliest virtuosi regularly performed music first

programs. Nineteenth-century saxophone virtuosi often performed transcriptions.2

because the transcriptions enabled them to play recognizable works.3

3 Hemke, The Early History of the Saxophone.

Despite this long history of saxophonists performing transcriptions since the

in a performance by saxophonist Laura Hunter in New York:

That Ms. Hunter should program this transcription, considering the

understandingan 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,

saxophonists. In order for saxophonists to be well-rounded performers and teachers, it

modern composers have drawn inspiration.

Why Arrange Debussys Cello Sonata for Saxophone?

and the study and performance of transcriptions have remained important to