The Raschèr Saxophone Quartet is a professional ensemble of four saxophonists which performs classical and

modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...

. The quartet was founded in the

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in 1969 by prominent classical

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pro ...

Sigurd Raschèr Sigurd Manfred Raschèr (pronounced 'Rah-sher') (15 May 190725 February 2001) was an American saxophonist born in Germany. He became an important figure in the development of the 20th century repertoire for the classical saxophone. Early life ...

and his daughter, Carina (Karin). Some years later the quartet relocated to

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and has been based there ever since. The Quartet has appeared at major concert halls in

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and the

, including Carnegie Hall and

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

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, the

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Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, Opera Bastille Paris, Royal Festival Hall in

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, Philharmonie Cologne,

Concertgebouw The Royal Concertgebouw ( nl, Koninklijk Concertgebouw, ) is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" translates into English as "concert building". Its superb acoustics place it among the finest concert halls in ...

Schauspielhaus Berlin The Konzerthaus Berlin is a concert hall in Berlin, the home of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin. Situated on the Gendarmenmarkt square in the central Mitte district of the city, it was originally built as a theater. It initially operated from ...

Berliner Philharmonie The Berliner Philharmonie () is a concert hall in Berlin, Germany, and home to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The Philharmonie lies on the south edge of the city's Tiergarten and just west of the former Berlin Wall. The Philharmonie is o ...

, Musikverein

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, Tonhalle Zürich. The quartet has received strong reviews and was acclaimed as the "Uncrowned Kings of the Saxophone" by the

Wiener Zeitung ''Wiener Zeitung'' is an Austrian newspaper. It is one of the oldest, still published newspapers in the world. It is the official publication used by the Government of the Republic of Austria for legally-required announcements, such as company r ...

Personnel

* Linda Bangs-Urban, baritone saxophone, 1969–1992 * Kenneth Coon, baritone saxophone, 1992–2019 * John-Edward Kelly, alto saxophone, 1981–1991 * Christine Rall, soprano saxophone, 2002–present * Carina Raschèr, soprano saxophone, 1969 until 2002 *

, alto saxophone, 1969 until 1980 * Elliot Riley, alto saxophone, 2001–present * Bruce Weinberger, tenor saxophone, 1969–2014 * Harry Kinross White, alto saxophone, 1990–2001 * Andreas van Zoelen, tenor saxophone, 2014–present * Oscar Trompenaars, baritone saxophone, 2019–present

Original works written for the quartet

's tireless pursuit of classical composers led many of them to compose works dedicated to the quartet. The continued efforts by the group after Sigurd Raschèr's departure, combined with the impressive technical and musical abilities of the quartet, have led over 250 composers to dedicate works to the group. Composers who have written for the group include: *

Kalevi Aho Kalevi Ensio Aho (born 9 March 1949) is a Finnish composer. Early years Aho began his interest in music at the age of ten, when he discovered a mandolin in his home and began to teach himself how to play it. He soon was taken under the tutelag ...

Lera Auerbach Lera Auerbach (russian: Лера Авербах, born Valeria Lvovna Averbakh, russian: Валерия Львовна Авербах; October 21, 1973) is a Soviet-born American classical composer and concert pianist.

Erik Bergman Erik Valdemar Bergman (24 November 1911, in Nykarleby – 24 April 2006, in Helsinki) was a composer of classical music from Finland. Bergman's style ranged widely, from Romanticism in his early works (many of which he later prohibited from bei ...

Luciano Berio Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled '' Sequenza''), and for his pioneering work ...

Günter Bialas Günter Bialas (19 July 1907 – 8 July 1995) was a German composer. Life Bialas was born in Bielschowitz (today Bielszowice, a subdivision of Ruda Śląska) in Prussian Silesia. His father was the business manager of a German theatre, and hi ...

Michael Denhoff Michael Denhoff (born 25 April 1955 in Ahaus) is a German composer and cellist. Life Denhoff has lived and worked in Bonn since 1982. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, where his teachers included Günter Bialas and Hans We ...

Franco Donatoni Franco Donatoni (9 June 1927 – 17 August 2000) was an Italian composer. Biography Born in Verona, Donatoni started studying violin at the age of seven, and frequented the local music academy. Later, he studied at the Milan Conservatory ...

Elena Firsova Elena Olegovna Firsova (russian: link=no, Еле́на Оле́говна Фи́рсова; also ''Yelena'' or ''Jelena Firssowa''; born 21 March 1950) is a Russian composer. Life Firsova was born in Leningrad into the family of physicists Ol ...

* Philip Glass * Sofia Gubaidulina *Cristóbal Halffter * Walter S. Hartley *Roman Haubenstock-Ramati *

Jouni Kaipainen Jouni Ilari Kaipainen (24 November 1956 – 23 November 2015) was a Finnish composer. Kaipainen was born in Helsinki to the physician and politician Osmo Kaipainen, and his wife, the author Anu Mustonen. He studied at the Sibelius Academy in He ...

* Tristan Keuris * Ton de Leeuw * Anders Nilsson

*

Pehr Henrik Nordgren Pehr Henrik Nordgren (19 January 1944 – 25 August 2008) was a Finnish composer. Life Pehr Henrik Nordgren was born in Saltvik, Åland. received composition lessons starting from 1958 in Helsinki and studied musicology at the university from 19 ...

Per Nørgård Per Nørgård (; born 13 July 1932) is a Danish composer and music theorist. Though his style has varied considerably throughout his career, his music has often included repeatedly evolving melodies—such as the infinity series—in the vein o ...

* Miklós Maros *Enrique Raxach *Alexander Raskatov * Jan Sandström * Sven-David Sandström *Wolfgang von Schweinitz * Steven Stucky

*

Dimitri Terzakis Dimitri Terzakis ( el, Δημήτρης Τερζάκης; born March 12, 1938 in Athens) is a Greek composer. His father was the author Angelos Terzakis. From 1959–1964 Terzakis studied composition with Yannis Papaioannou at the Athens Helle ...

*Erich Urbanner *

John Worley John C. Worley (1919-1999) was a saxophonist, conductor, professor, and a composer of classical, as well as more contemporary music for saxophone. He was born in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1919 and died on February 16, 1999. He served as conductor ...

* Charles Wuorinen *

Iannis Xenakis Giannis Klearchou Xenakis (also spelled for professional purposes as Yannis or Iannis Xenakis; el, Γιάννης "Ιωάννης" Κλέαρχου Ξενάκης, ; 29 May 1922 – 4 February 2001) was a Romanian-born Greek-French avant-garde c ...

*Ruth Zechlin :

Recordings

Recitals: * ''Strange Exclaiming Music'' (2009) - Eric Moe; NAXOS 7951592 * ''The Concerto Project, Volume 3'' (2008) - Philip Glass; OMM0042 * ''Victoria Borisova-Ollas - The Triumph of Heaven'' (2008) - Victoria Borisova-Ollas; PSCD 171 * ''Saxophone ''(2002) - Philip Glass; OMM0006 * ''Europe'' (2001) -

Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...

Penderecki Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki (; 23 November 1933 – 29 March 2020) was a Polish composer and conductor. His best known works include ''Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima'', Symphony No. 3, his '' St Luke Passion'', '' Polish Requiem'', '' ...

, Halffter, Nørgard, Xenakis; BIS-CD 1153 * ''America'' (1999) - Wuorinen, Corbett, Starer, Adler, Florio, Peterson; BIS-CD 953 * ''Music for Saxophones'' (1999) -

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

, Glazounov,

Reich ''Reich'' (; ) is a German noun whose meaning is analogous to the meaning of the English word "realm"; this is not to be confused with the German adjective "reich" which means "rich". The terms ' (literally the "realm of an emperor") and ' (lit ...

, Starer, Keuris, Koch; Cala CD 77003 * ''The Raschèr Saxophone Quartet'' (1994) - Xenakis, Bergman, Dünser, Denhoff, Bialas, Terzakis; Caprice 21435 * ''The Rascher Saxophone Quartet'' (1987) - Bach, Glaser, Karkoff, Koch, Maros, Sandstrom; Caprice 21349 * ''Works Of Nicola Lefanu'' (1986) - Karkoff, LeFanu, Maros, Urbanner; Col Legno Concerti written for the Raschèr Quartet with Orchestra: *''In Memoriam Pehr Henrik Nordgren'' (2012) - Nordgren, Lapland Chamber Orchestra John Storgards, Cond.; ABCD 322 * ''The Eight Sounds'' (2011) - Beamish, Chen Yi, Stucky,

Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (Stuttgarter Kammerorchester) is a German chamber orchestra based in Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar ...

, Robin Engelen, Cond.; BIS-CD 1821 * ''Water Music'' (2009) - Dean, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Heinz Karl Gruber, Cond.; BIS-CD-1576 * ''From Equinox to Solstice'' (2003) Nilsson, Hvoslef, and Kaipainen - Swedish Chamber Orchestra; BIS-CD-1203 * ''Oolit'' (2002) - Maros, Philharmonia Hungarica, Georg Alexander Albrecht, Cond.; Caprice 21670 * ''Philip Glass Symphony No.2 ''(1998), Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra,

Dennis Russell Davies Dennis Russell Davies (born April 16, 1944 in Toledo, Ohio) is an American conductor and pianist, He is currently the music director and chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic. Biography Davies studied piano and conducting at the Juilliard Sch ...

, Cond.; Nonesuch 79496-2 Works for Saxophone Quartet and Voices * ''Circadian Rhythms:Mathew Rosenblum ''(2012) - Mathew Rosenblum, Calmus Ensemble; New World Records 80736 * ''Chorbuch-Les Inventions Dadolphe'' (2012) - Mauricio Kagel, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Klaas Stok, Cond.; Winter & Winter 910 191-2 * ''Canticum Novissimi Testamenti II'' (1996) -

London Sinfonietta The London Sinfonietta is an English contemporary chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble has headquarters at Kings Place and is Resident Orchestra at the Southbank Centre. Since its inaugural concert in 1968—givi ...

Voices, Seymon Bychkov, Cond.; Philips 446 094-2 Works with other instruments: *''Die Kunst der Fuge'' (2011) - Bach, Carsten Klomp, Organ.; No Label * ''New York Counterpoint'' (2002) - Bach, Denhoff, Grieg, Kastner, Reich, Raschèr Saxophone Orchestra, Bruce Weinberger, Cond.; BIS-NL-CD-5023 * ''Gubaidulina'' (1995) - Kroumata Percussion Ensemble; BIS-CD 710 *''Anders Nilsson: KRASCH!'' (1995) - Gubaidulina, Nilsson, Kox, Kroumata Percussion Ensemble; Caprice 21441

Raschèr Saxophone Orchestra

The Raschèr Saxophone Orchestra is a professional saxophone orchestra with 12 musicians, was founded in 1999 or 2000. It is conducted by Bruce Weinberger, the tenor saxophonist in the Raschèr Quartet, and includes among its ranks the current members of the quartet as well as some former members.

External links

Raschèr Saxophone Quartet official web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rascher Saxophone Quartet Musical groups established in 1969 German musical groups Saxophone quartets