Sax-o-Phun

Pavol Hoďa – saxophones
Ladislav Fanzowitz – piano & tenor saxophone

Eugène Bozza (1905 – 1991)
1 Pulcinella for alto saxophone and piano op. 53 No.1 2:26

Bernhard Heiden (1910- 2000)
Sonata for alto saxophone and piano
2 Allegro 6:45
3 Vivace 3:41
4 Adagio – Presto 6:33

Jindřich Feld (1925 – 2007)
Sonata B dur for soprano saxophone and piano
5 Molto moderato – A tempo giusto 7:02
6 Scherzo. Allegro assai 4:14
7 Finale – Allegro con brio 5:12

Walter Sinclair Hartley (1927 – 1914)
Sonatina Giocosa for bass saxophone and piano
8 Allegro molto 2:21
9 Allegretto grazioso 2:40
10 Quodlibet: Poco vivace, scherzando 1:19

Evgeny Irshai (1951)
11 Husband’s Wrath for tenor saxophone and piano 7:24

Evgeny Irshai (1951)
12 Saxlibris for baritone saxophone, piano and tenor saxophone 8:02

Rudy Wiedoeft (1893 – 1940)
13 Sax-O-Phun for c-melody saxophone and piano 3:15

The purpose of the recording you are holding in your hands is to show saxophone from a different angle and to shine a new light at its true historical origin and development. Despite its common use in jazz, saxophone was not originally intended for jazz music. Since its invention in 1842 by Belgian Adolph Sax, it became an inspiration for many composers of classical music. Sax-O-Phun is historically the first Slovak CD comprising of exclusively classical saxophone pieces and it offers to listeners an entire sound experience from the soprano saxophone through alto, tenor, baritone up to the bass saxophone. The most valuable instrument presented on the CD is a very rare c-melody saxophone used in the piece Sax-O-Phun after which this CD is named.
In the interpretation of Slovak artists Pavol Hoďa (all types of saxophones) and Ladislav Fanzowitz (piano and tenor saxophone) you can listen to saxophone pieces written in the 20th century, but also a very effective piece by Slovak composer Evgeny Irshai titled Husband‘s Wrath, written in 2016 and dedicated to the performing artists of this CD.

By buying this CD you get the chance to download free version of this recording in higher quality
(5 channel stereo version in FLAC format). Here is the information:

This CD is recorded with DXD digital format in very high resolution (352.8 kHz / 32 bit)
Recorded on vintage saxophones
Soprano saxophone Selmer Mark IV, year 1978 (tracks 5-7)
Selmer concept mouthpiece

Alto saxophone Conn New Wonder series II, year 1924 (tracks 1-4)
Rascher mouthpiece

C-melody saxophone Conn New Wonder series II, year 1925 (track 13)
Conn Eagle mouthpiece

Tenor saxophone Buescher, year 1933 (track 11)
Rascher mouthpiece

Baritone saxophone Conn 12M, year 1936 (track 12)
Rascher mouthpiece

Bass saxophone Conn, 14M, year 1929 (tracks 8-10)
Rascher mouthpiece

Recordet in Fatra Hall, Žilina, January 2017
Recorded in high definition DXD format. (352.8 kHz / 32 bit)
Sound Director and Mastering:
© Rostislav Pavlík
Music Director: Ladislav Fanzowitz
Executive Producer: Rostislav Pavlík
Notes: © Jana Dekánková
Translation: © Peter Fančovič
Graphic Design: © Eva Turčáková

Supported using public funding by Slovak Arts Council