Although the inventor of the saxophone, Antoine Joseph Sax, a.k.a. Adolphe Sax, is originally from Belgium, he developed and built his first saxophone in Paris in 1842. The saxophone was used in orchestral groups for the first time in 1844, chosen by Sax’s friend and Parisian composer Hector Berlioz. Later on, France will give the instrument a great destiny by incorporating it in its military bands.

As a music teacher, Sax (1814-1894) works with the Conservatoire de Paris, and teaches saxophone to dozens of young talented musicians who then will play in various military bands. His friends and colleagues write numerous pieces for Mr Sax, who will at the same time set up many different saxophone ensembles that will popularise the instrument among the music lovers in Paris.

The beginning of the 1870’s war will put an end to the saxophone’s growing popularity, in spite of Adolphe Sax’s efforts. However, in 1942, Marcel Mule, then a soloist at the Garde Républicaine and a famous musician, is successful at lending back to the instrument its credibility by opening the first saxophone class at the Conservatoire de Paris. At the same time, he creates a quartet (often considered to be the prototype for all future quartets due the level of virtuosity demonstrated by its members and its central role in the development of the quartet repertoire) and tours all around Europe, and he releases several records that will promptly become part of the saxophone’s history. 

Later on, the American musicians will play a major role in the destiny of the golden instrument. Elise Hall, a French-American music lover and philanthropist develops the first soloist repertoire. Then, the jazzmen make the saxophone their fetish instrument and it rapidly becomes the icon we know today. On both sides of the Ocean, the success of the jazz combos and of the big bands is tremendous, and makes the saxophone one of the most popular instruments in the history of music.

Today, the French School of Saxophone remains the best, and keeps training the world elite of saxophone. Both the style and the technique “à la française” are unanimously considered to be the most brilliant in the world. As the leader of this charismatic school, M. Claude Delangle, Professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris and co-founder of the Université Européenne de Saxophone de Gap teaches to young new talents from all over the world.