Building a Saxophone Quartet Library by Heidi Radtke

For the middle or high school band director, identifying quality repertoire that is appropriate for ensemble member skill level and interest can be a challenge. What follows is a recommended listing of warm-up materials, repertoire collections, standard saxophone quartet works, and additional resources for the band director and quartet coach. Starting a saxophone quartet library collection with a few materials from each category will go a long way in supporting a lasting saxophone quartet program at your school.

Warm-Up Materials

Bach Chorales continue to be considered the standard warm-up material for all types of ensembles. They can be used for performances in recitals and at religious services, and also provide excellent material for working on ensemble issues of balance, blend, intonation, tone and articulation matching. The following list contains collections of Bach Chorales that are recommended for saxophone ensembles at various levels of experience, from 2 (beginning) to 5 (advanced). All materials are in print and are readily available. In addition, the etude collection arranged by George Corroyez provides more advanced ensembles with short works from the Romantic and 20th Century periods.

Recommended Music Resources for Ensemble Warm-up

Repertoire Collections

Collections of repertoire, which usually consist of arrangements of classical and baroque works, serve as great starting points for developing ensembles and are a cost-effective way of providing a diverse set of materials at various levels of difficulty. Highly recommended collections for all quartet levels include those edited by Larry Teal, Sigurd Rascher, Himie Voxman, Paul Harvey, and Paul Cohen. The following list provides a selection of titles for both AATB and SATB ensembles that range in difficulty from level 2 (beginning) to 4 (intermediate).

Recommended Repertoire Collections

Standard Repertoire

For quartets just getting started, it can be helpful to begin by playing a number of diverse pieces that can be read straight through without too much difficulty. This process can help build confidence amongst members and excitement about the future success of the ensemble. Simple tunes such as Over the Rainbow or arrangements of popular songs can be a great starting point and provide fun material for quartet gigs and concerts at school and around town. These materials can be found at local music stores and online through music publishing websites such as Watchdog Music Publishers. Watchdog’s catalog lists over ninety pieces for saxophone quartet and caters to groups at the middle and high school level. Each entry includes a brief description of the piece and information on the composer, arranger, skill level, timings, and instrumentation. Once established, developing saxophone quartets should also begin to identify and perform works from the standard quartet repertoire.

All of the works listed below have been recommended by pedagogues and are considered to be standard works for the saxophone quartet. Most pieces are scored for SATB ensembles, unless otherwise indicated, and are currently in publication and available for purchase. The average grade/level of difficulty assigned to the work has also been provided. Levels range from 2 to 5, with level 5 being the most advanced. The following list of individual works would be highly recommended additions to any school library:

Recommended Saxophone Quartet Repertoire (Levels 2-5)

Coaching Resources

For those tasked with the responsibility of coaching a young or developing saxophone quartet, it can be quite useful to reference materials that give suggestions for rehearsal technique and that provide specific information about the different saxophone voices. The following selection of published and available reference books and exercises are recommended for music instructors, band directors and coaches. These materials can be used to teach applied quartet lessons from beginning ensembles to advanced, and for teaching courses on chamber music in general.

Recommended Chamber Music Teaching Resources

The saxophone quartet has proven to be an important and established fixture within the world of chamber music. Band directors, composers, and pedagogues have found that the participation in saxophone quartets have helped young musicians develop greater sensitivity to tone, blend, intonation and musicality, build confidence and even promote social skills. Successful groups are those that enjoy playing with one another, have similar levels of ability and/or practice ethic, and have access to quality repertoire appropriate for their skill level. This listing of materials should help any school band program begin to build a saxophone quartet library that will foster the joy of chamber music playing for years to come.