Saxophobia Bratislava 2025: Hommage à saxophone

On Tuesday, 4 February 2025, the Albrecht House will host a concert by two saxophone legends – Ryo Noda from Japan and Philippe Portejoie from France.

This concert presents the saxophone as a full-fledged instrument of classical music, as it is mainly perceived as a jazz instrument in Slovakia. However, its inventor Aldolphe Sax made it ca. In 1843 he constructed it for the purpose of classical music and bands playing marching music (jazz was not born until 50 years later). The Belgian Sax wanted to create an instrument that would form a kind of imaginary bridge between wind and string instruments.

Composers were captivated by its sound in the early years, and the artists will perform works for solo saxophone accompanied by piano, saxophone duo and trio, as well as arrangements of compositions from the Baroque period, through Impressionism, Romanticism and contemporary compositions using the enormous variety of colours and percussive sounds that can be conjured up on the saxophone.

Programme: J. S. Bach, R. Schumann, M. de Falla, R. Noda

Performers:

• Ryo Noda (Japan)
• Philippe Portejoie (France)
• Ladislav Fančovič (Slovakia) – piano cooperation