Adolphe Sax : his life, his creative genius, his saxophones, a musical revolution

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Born 1814 in Dinant (Belgium) and deceased 1894 in Paris where he spent most of his career, Adolphe Sax is recognized as being one of the greatest inventors of the 19^th century. He is also one of the most revolutionary instrument makers in the history of music. He improved to the point of perfection most instruments of his era, and invented many others, mainly the saxtromba, saxhorn and saxophone families. Eccentric, slightly megalomaniac, he is also the father of numerous inventions and projects which were in no way related to music, including a "saxo-cannon" capable of destroying Sebastopol, and an extraordinary whistle for the steam trains.

His life reads like a novel. Starting from nothing, and flirting with poverty, Sax rapidly attains fame and regularly associates with the famous composers of the romantic era including Liszt. Rossini, Berlioz and Meyerbeer extol the genius of the prophet who had been awaited to fulfill the dream of an orchestral revolution. With the same enthusiasm Napoléon III embraces his reform of military bands as well as his instruments, immediately following with the fanfares and civil orchestras. But his competitors declare war on the "Belgian", who vexes them by sweeping the gold medals at the world exhibitions. They even go so far as to contest his patents without hesitating to counterfeit his instruments; they instigate a long running court case against him, from which he will eventually emerge victorious, but which leads this tenacious fighter, miraculously saved from cancer, twice to bankruptcy. It is not only Sax's powerful personality he revives with passion, but the entire effervescent Parisian musical scene.

In addition, this richly illustrated work evokes the impressive authority of the saxophone in styles as different as classic, military music and jazz; the latter giving it a second life as well as bestowing upon its inventor posthumous celebrity.