Subcontrabass saxophone

Largest low pitched instrument in the saxophone family

Subcontrabass saxophone

Woodwind instrument
Classification|  Single-reed
Hornbostel–Sachs classification| 422.212-71
(Single-reed aerophone with keys)
Inventor(s)| Adolphe Sax
Developed| Conceived as part of Sax's 1846 patent; first playable instrument built by J'Élle Stainer in 2010
Playing range

Subcontrabass saxophone in B♭ sounds three octaves and a major second lower than written.
Related instruments
Sizes:

* Soprillo
* Sopranino
* Soprano
* Alto
* Tenor
* Baritone
* Bass
* Contrabass
* Subcontrabass

* * *

Orchestral saxophones:

* C soprano
* Mezzo-soprano
* C melody

* * *

Specialty saxophones:

* Aulochrome
* Tubax

Musicians

* Attilio Berni
* Jay Easton
* Gilberto Lopes
* Todd White

Builders

* Benedikt Eppelsheim
* Galassine
* J'Élle Stainer

The subcontrabass saxophone is the largest of the family of saxophones that Adolphe Sax described in his 1846 patent. He called it the saxophone bourdon, named after the very low-pitched 32′ bourdon pedal stop on large pipe organs. Although Sax planned to build one, the first playable instrument was only built in 2010. It is a transposing instrument pitched in B♭ one octave below the bass saxophone, two octaves below the tenor, and three octaves and a major second below its written pitch.[1]

## History

[edit]

Although described in Adolphe Sax's patent in 1846, a practical, playable subcontrabass saxophone did not exist until the 21st century.[2] An oversized saxophone that might have qualified was built as a prop circa 1965; it could produce tones, but its non-functional keywork required assistants to manually open and close the pads, and it was reportedly incapable of playing a simple scale.[3]

The tubax was developed in two sizes in 1999 by German instrument manufacturer Benedikt Eppelsheim, the lower of which, pitched in B♭, he describes as a "subcontrabass saxophone".[4] This instrument provides the same pitch range as the saxophone bourdon would have, while the smaller tubax in E♭ covers the range of the contrabass saxophone. Compared to a regular saxophone, the tubax has a narrower bore and uses a smaller reed.[5]

In the 2000s, contrabass and subcontrabass saxophones became popular in church orchestras in Brazil, and are made by Brazilian instrument manufacturers J'Élle Stainer and Galassine. J'Élle Stainer produced a working compact subcontrabass saxophone in 2010, which was shown that year at Expomusic.[1][6] In September 2012, Eppelsheim built the first full-size subcontrabass saxophone in B♭ (distinct from his B♭ tubax).[7] In July 2013, J'Élle Stainer completed a full-size subcontrabass saxophone.[8][9] It stands 2.74 metres (9 ft 0 in) high and weighs 28.6 kilograms (63 lb).[10] In Brazil, at least one octocontrabass saxophone, built in E♭ an octave below the contrabass, has been made.[11][12][citation needed]

## Repertoire

[edit]

There is no historical classical music or jazz repertoire specifically scored for a subcontrabass saxophone, since playable instruments have only existed since 2010. Two works first performed in 2022, Slovenian composer Igor Krivokapič's Symphony No. 5 and Colores by Belgian composer Jan Van der Roost, both feature the instrument.[13] Low-pitched saxophones in general have become popular in Brazil, particularly in the large church orchestras of the Christian Congregation in Brazil that accompany hymns.

## See also

[edit]

* Tubax

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Berni, Attilio (21 February 2013). "J'Elle Stainer Double Bb Sub-contrabass Saxophone". saxophone.org. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
2. ^ Cottrell 2012, p. 53.
3. ^ Green, Grant D. (2002). "Subcontrabass Saxophones (?)". Contrabass Compendium. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
4. ^ "Tubax (B♭)". Munich, Germany: Benedikt Eppelsheim Wind Instruments. Archived from the original on 6 November 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
5. ^ Cohen, Paul (September 2000). "Redefining the saxophone, Soprillo and Tubax: new saxophones for a new millennium". Saxophone Journal. 25 (1). Needham, MA: Dorn Publications: 8–10\. ISSN 0276-4768.8-10&rft.date=2000-09&rft.issn=0276-4768&rft.aulast=Cohen&rft.aufirst=Paul&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Subcontrabass+saxophone" class="Z3988">
6. ^ "Compact Subcontrabass". J'Élle Stainer Extreme Saxophones. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
7. ^ "Custom made". Munich, Germany: Benedikt Eppelsheim Wind Instruments. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
8. ^ "GWR Subcontrabass". J'Élle Stainer Extreme Saxophones. Archived from the original on 6 November 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
9. ^ Berni, Attilio (saxophone); Romeo, Alfredo (drums); Antinozzi, Christian (bass); Crispolti, Alessandro (piano) (27 January 2021) [recorded 18 October 2020]. Sub contrabbasso J'Elle Stainer Eppelsheim soprillo (video). Maccarese, Italy: Museo del Saxofono. Retrieved 22 November 2022 - via YouTube.
10. ^ "Largest saxophone - playable by one person". Guinness World Records. 3 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
11. ^ Valadares, Bruno (28 May 2024). "OctaContraBaixo - Ensaio local em Jordanópolis, SBC, SP". Retrieved 5 June 2024 - via Instagram.
12. ^ Salles, Gustavo (18 January 2024). Sax Octa Contra Baixo tocado na comunhão (video clip). Retrieved 14 March 2025 - via YouTube.
13. ^ "7 Trumpets of the Apocalypse". Ljubljana: Cankarjev dom. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2024.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Cottrell, Stephen (2012). The Saxophone. Yale Musical Instrument Series. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300100-41-9. LCCN 2012028346. OCLC 844030644. OL 25377233M. Wikidata Q113952716.

## External links

[edit]

* Attilio Berni in Back Home Again Indiana (YouTube) solos on the subcontabass and soprillo (Saxophone Museum, Maccarese, 2020)
* MP3 sound recording of the first movement of "Duet for Basses" by Walter Hartley, played as a B♭ Tubax duet (one instrument, overdubbed), performed by Jay C. Easton

* v
* t
* e

Types of saxophones

* †Soprillo
* Sopranino saxophone
* C soprano saxophone
* †Aulochrome
* Soprano saxophone
* Mezzo-soprano saxophone
* Alto saxophone
* C melody saxophone
* Tenor saxophone
* Baritone saxophone
* Bass saxophone
* Contrabass saxophone
* Subcontrabass saxophone
* †Tubax

* † not designed by Adolphe Sax

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