Unfortunately, there are individuals out there that do not recognize the saxophone as a legitimate orchestral instrument. This is not an accurate statement. Many people who feel that the saxophone is not a legitimate orchestral instrument only mention a few pieces which are played frequently by orchestras: Pictures at an Exhibition (Mussorgsky/Ravel), Symphonic Dances (Bernstein), and Bolero (Ravel) to justify their opinion on the subject. While these wonderful pieces are performed very often, they are by no means the only important ones in the orchestral repertoire. As it turns out, most of the most significant composers of the 20th century incorporated the saxophone in their works:
ENGLAND
- 1923 William Walton, Facade (2 narrators, Asx, winds, cello, and perc)
- 1931 William Walton, Belshazzar's Feast (Asx)
- 1929 Ralph Vaughan Williams, Job (Ballet) (Asx)
- 1948 Ralph Vaughan Williams, Symphony No. 6 (Tsx)
- 1957 Ralph Vaughan Williams, Symphony No. 9 (2 Asx, Tsx)
- 1935 Benjamin Britten, Our Hunting Fathers (Asx)
- 1940 Benjamin Britten, Sinfonia da Requiem (Asx)
- 1951 Benjamin Britten, Billy Budd (Asx)
- 1957 Benjamin Britten, The Prince of the Pagodas, Op. 57 (Asx)
FRANCE
- 1872 Georges Bizet, L'arlessienne Suites I and II (Asx)
- 1881 Jules Massenet, Herodiade (Asx, Tsx, CBsx)(opera)
- 1892 Jules Massenet, Werther (Asx)(opera)
- 1923 Darius Milhuad, La Creation du Monde (Asx)
- 1923 Modest Mussorgsky/Maurice Ravel, Pictures at an Exhibition (Asx)
- 1927 Maurice Ravel, Bolero (Sopranino, Tsx/Ssx)
- 1935 Jacques Ibert, Le Chevalier Errant (Asx)
- 1945 Arthur Honegger, Mouvement Symphonique No. 3 (Asx)
- 1951 Pierre Boulez, Polyphonie X (for 18 soloists)(withdrawn)(Asx)
RUSSIA
- 1930 Dmitry Shostakovich, The Age of Gold Ballet Suite (Ssx)
-1934 Dmitry Shostakovich, Jazz Suite (Asx, Tsx)
-1936 Dmitry Shostakovich, The Golden Mountains Suite (Ssx, Asx, Tsx)
- 1955 Dmitry Shostakovich, The Gadfly Suite (?)
- 1963 Dmitry Shostakovich, Katerina IsmaIlova (2 Asx, 2 Tsx)
- 1933 Sergei Prokofiev, Lieutenant Kiji (Tsx)
- 1936 Sergei Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet Suite 1, 2, 3 (Tsx)
- 1938 Sergei Prokofiev, Alexander Nevsky Cantata (Tsx)
- 1938 Sergei Prokofiev, Egyptian Nights Suite (Asx, Tsx)
- 1940 Sergei Rachmaninoff, Symphonic Dances (Asx)
- 1941 Igor Stravinsky, Tango (2 Asx, Tsx)
- 1942 Igor Stravinsky, Circus Polka (Asx, Bsx)
GERMANY
- 1903 Richard Strauss, Symphony Domestica (Ssx, Asx, Bsx, Bass)
- 1926 Paul Hindemith, Cardillac (Tsx)
- 1953 Paul Hindemith, Neus Vom Tage (Asx)
- 1926/27 Kurt Weill; Three Penny Opera, Mahoganny Singspiel
- 1957 Karlheinz Stockhausen, Gruppen for Three Orchestra (Asx, Bsx)
AUSTRIA (Viennese)
- 1928 Arnold Schoenberg, Von Heute auf Morgen (Ssx/Asx,Tsx/Bsx/Bass)
- 1920 Alban Berg, Der Wein (Asx)
- 1935 Alban Berg, Violinkonzert (Asx)
- 1935 Alban Berg, Lulu (uncompleted)(Asx)
- 1935 Anton Webern, Das Augenlicht (Asx)
- 1943 Anton Webern, Kantate (Asx)
UNITED STATES
- 1916 Charles Ives, Symphony No. 4 (Asx/Tsx/Bsx)
- 1924 George Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue (Asx, Asx, Tsx)
- 1928 George Gershwin, An American in Paris (Asx, Tsx, Bsx)
- 1926/28 Aaron Copland; Piano Concerto, Symphony #1 (Asx/Ssx),(Asx)
- 1936/37 Aaron Copland; The Second Hurricane (?sx), Prairie Journal (?sx)
- 1951 John Cage, Concerto for Prepared Piano and Chamber Orchestra (A/Ssx)
- 1960 Leonard Bernstein, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, (Asx)
- 1963 Leonard Bernstein, Symphony No. 3 "Kaddish" (Asx)
SOUTH AMERICA
- 1926/28 Heitor Villa Lobios; Choros #6, Choros #8 (Asx)
HUNGARY
- 1924 Bela Bartok, The Wooden Prince
-1924 Bela Bartok, Three Village Scenes (Asx)
- 1927 Zoltan Kodaly, Hary Janos Suite (Asx)
ITALY
- 1926 Giacomo Puccini, Turandot (in score; two saxophones on stage band)
- 1957 Luciano Berio, Alleluia I (Asx, Tsx), Alleluia II (Asx, Asx, Tsx)
