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 Philosophy ...

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

. 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 instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

Sigurd Raschèr Sigurd Manfred Raschèr (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 Sigurd Raschèr was born ...

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 lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

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

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and the

, including

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

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 ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, the

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

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, Opera Bastille Paris,

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Kölner Philharmonie The Kölner Philharmonie is a symphonic concert hall located in Cologne, Germany. It is part of the building ensemble of the Museum Ludwig and was opened in 1986. The Kölner Philharmonie is located close to the Cologne Cathedral and the Köln ...

Concertgebouw Concertgebouw may refer to one of the following concert halls: * Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands * Concertgebouw, Bruges, Belgium * Concertgebouw de Vereeniging, Netherlands {{disambiguation Buildings and structures disambiguation pages ...

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 181 ...

Berliner Philharmonie The () 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 on Herbert-von-Karajan- ...

Musikverein The ( or ; ), commonly shortened to , is a concert hall in Vienna, Austria, which is located in the Innere Stadt district. The building opened in 1870 and is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. The acoustics of the building's 'Grea ...

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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. First published as the ''Wiennerisches Diarium'' in 1703, it is one of the oldest newspapers in the world. Until April 2023, it was the official gazette of the government of the Republic of Austria ...

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, 1969–2002 *

, alto saxophone, 1969–1980 * Elliot Riley, alto saxophone, 2001–2024 *Morgan Webster, alto saxophone, 2024–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, 2019–2023; 2024–present * Iria Garrido Meira, baritone saxophone, 2023–2024

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 tutela ...

* Lera Auerbach *

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

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

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 his ...

* Michael Denhoff * Franco Donatoni *

Elena Firsova Elena Olegovna Firsova (; also ''Yelena'' or ''Jelena Firssowa''; born 21 March 1950) is a Russian composer living in the UK. Life Firsova was born in Leningrad into the family of physicists Oleg Firsov and Viktoria Lichko. She studied music ...

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

Sofia Gubaidulina Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina (24 October 1931 – 13 March 2025) was a Soviet and Russian composer of Modernism (music), modernist Holy minimalism, sacred music. She was highly prolific, producing numerous Chamber music, chamber, Orchestra, orch ...

Cristóbal Halffter Cristóbal Halffter Jiménez-Encina (24 March 1930 – 23 May 2021) was a Spanish classical composer. He was the nephew of two other composers, Rodolfo and Ernesto Halffter, and is regarded as the most important Spanish composer of the gen ...

* Walter S. Hartley *

Roman Haubenstock-Ramati Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, born Roman Haubenstock (; 27 February 1919 – 3 March 1994) was a composer and music editor who worked in Kraków, Tel Aviv and Vienna. Life Haubenstock-Ramati was born in Tonie (a village near Krakow, to which it was ...

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 T ...

* Tristan Keuris * Ton de Leeuw *

Lior Navok Lior Navok (; born September 6, 1971) is an Israeli classical composer, conductor and pianist. He was born in Tel Aviv. Navok studied composition privately with the Israeli composer Moshe Zorman, and completed a Bachelor's degree at the Jerusal ...

* 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, on 19 January 1944. received composition lessons starting from 1958 in Helsinki and studied musicology at t ...

Per Nørgård Per Nørgård (; 13 July 1932 – 28 May 2025) was a Danish composer and music theorist. Though his style varied considerably throughout his career, his music often included repeatedly evolving melodies, in the vein of Jean Sibelius, and a per ...

* Miklós Maros * Robin de Raaff *Enrique Raxach * Alexander Raskatov * Jan Sandström *

Sven-David Sandström Sven-David Sandström (30 October 1942 – 10 June 2019) was a Swedish classical composer of operas, oratorios, ballets, and choral works, as well as orchestral works. Life and career Sandström was born in Motala and studied art history and mus ...

Wolfgang von Schweinitz Wolfgang von Schweinitz (born 7 February 1953 in Hamburg) is a Germans, German composer of classical music and an academic teacher. Career Schweinitz studied composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, from 1971 to 1973 with G ...

Steven Stucky Steven Edward Stucky (November 7, 1949 − February 14, 2016) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer. Life and career Steven Stucky was born in Hutchinson, Kansas. At age 9, he moved with his family to Abilene, Texas, where, as a teenager ...

* Dimitri Terzakis * Erich Urbanner * John Worley *

Charles Wuorinen Charles Peter Wuorinen (, ; June 9, 1938 – March 11, 2020) was an American composer of contemporary classical music based in New York City. He also performed as a pianist and conductor. Wuorinen composed more than 270 works: orchestral music, c ...

Iannis Xenakis Giannis Klearchou Xenakis (also spelled for professional purposes as Yannis or Iannis Xenakis; , ; 29 May 1922 – 4 February 2001) was a Romanian-born Greek-French avant-garde composer, music theorist, architect, performance director and enginee ...

* 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 and American 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 ad ...

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 (German: �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety of instruments and forms, including the or ...

, Glazounov,

Reich ( ; ) is a German word whose meaning is analogous to the English word " realm". The terms and are respectively used in German in reference to empires and kingdoms. In English usage, the term " Reich" often refers to Nazi Germany, also ca ...

, Starer, Keuris,

Koch Koch may refer to: People * Koch (surname), people with this surname * Koch dynasty, a dynasty in Assam and Bengal, north east India * Koch family * Koch people (or Koche), an ethnic group originally from the ancient Koch kingdom in north east In ...

; 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, 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 The Swedish Chamber Orchestra () is a Swedish orchestra based in Örebro. Established under its current name in 1995, its primary concert venue is the Örebro Concert Hall. The historical precursor ensembles to the orchestra included the ''Harmoni ...

; BIS-CD-1203 * Robin de Raaff - ''Symphony No. 2 "Two Worlds Colliding"'' - Radio Kamer Filharmonie, Emilio Pomarico, cond.; Melodies Unheard - Challenge Records CC 72762 * ''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 chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic and of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. Biography Davies studied piano and conducting at ...

, 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 music, 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 ...

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 quartets Saxophone quartets