The term “saxophone orchestra” refers to a group of musicians who play a variety of saxophone instruments. It is most commonly associated with a quartet of only four players, but it can be made up of any number of saxophonists. In different saxophone orchestras, different combinations of the various types of saxophones can be used.
A soprano (S) saxophone, an alto (A) saxophone, a tenor (T) saxophone, and a baritone (B) saxophone are usually found in a saxophone orchestra with only four players. Alternatively, an AATB arrangement could be made with two altos and no soprano in a four-player saxophone orchestra. Because the soprano is more difficult to keep in tune, an SATB arrangement is more common among professional groups. It is not recommended for beginners. This arrangement is comparable to a vocal choir’s alto-soprano-tenor-baritone arrangement. For beginning to advanced students, an AATB arrangement is fairly common.
The sopranino and bass saxophones are probably the most common additions to a saxophone orchestra outside of SATB or AATB arrangements. One octave above the alto saxophone, the sopranino is pitched in EU+266D>. The bass saxophone is tuned to BU+266D>, which is a quarter octave lower than the baritone. The sopranissimo or soprillo, pitched in BU+266D>, an octave above the soprano, and the contrabass, pitched in EU+266D>, one octave below the baritone, are even less common additions. Some saxophones are played in unusual keys on occasion, but only as a novelty.
The standard voicing of a smaller saxophone quartet is usually maintained by larger saxophone orchestras. These groups are frequently put together as part of a band showcase. By assigning multiple players to each part, they typically expand regular SATB or AATB arrangements. However, some of these groups may include a soloist. For acoustic reasons, the bass and soprano parts are usually assigned the smallest number of musicians, while the alto and tenor parts are usually assigned the largest number of musicians.
A saxophone orchestra’s sound, regardless of how many players it has, is similar to that of a reedy pipe organ. The fact that saxophones are made of brass, on the other hand, gives them a brighter timbre. Saxophonists can also use a variety of mouthpieces and embouchure variations to achieve a wider tonal palette for the group.
Small saxophone ensembles primarily perform classical music, with arrangements of works by masters like Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven frequently used. They’re also frequently used in jazz. However, new compositions by contemporary composers in all genres are routinely premiered by groups. Because more musicians must cleanly navigate through the difficult passages in large ensembles, the music tends to be slightly less virtuosic. In nature, the works are more popular.