| Subcontrabass saxophone | |
| Range: | Subcontrabass saxophone in B♭ sounds three octaves and a major second lower than written. |
| Developed: | Conceived as part of Sax's 1846 patent; first playable instrument built by J’Élle Stainer in 2010 |
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]
Although described in Adolphe Sax's patent in 1846, a practical, playable subcontrabass saxophone did not exist until the 21st century. 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.[2]
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".[3] 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.[4]
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] [5] In September 2012, Eppelsheim built the first full-size subcontrabass saxophone in B♭ (distinct from his B♭ tubax).[6] In July 2013, J'Élle Stainer completed a full-size subcontrabass saxophone.[7] [8] It stands high and weighs .[9] In Brazil, at least one, built in E♭ an octave below the contrabass, has been made.[10]
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.[11] 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.