JEAN FRANÇAIX : CINQ DANSES EXOTIQUES. A REFINED DIALOGUE BETWEEN SAXOPHONE AND PIANO

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24193/subbmusica.2025.spiss4.03

Keywords:

French music, saxophone-piano dialogue, piano accompaniment, sound equilibrium

Abstract

Cinq danses exotiques by Jean Françaix is a work of reference for the chamber music repertoire, underlining the value of the dialogue between saxophone and piano. The research aims to provide an in-depth analysis of this suite, with a special focus on piano accompaniment. Taking as a starting point the exploration of the French saxophone interpretation style and the detailed analysis of every dance (structure, melody, rhythm), the study enlarges the perspective by investigating the role of the piano. The piano transcends the main accompaniment function, becoming an equal partner in the musical dialogue. The technical and interpretative particularities of the piano sheet are analyzed through specific musical examples, to underline how the piano contributes to the atmosphere and the rendition of the melodic texture. Providing a balanced perspective on both the instruments, the research reveals the complexity and refinement of the composition Cinq danses exotiques, adding a new layer of meaning to the understanding of this French chamber music.

References

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Delage, Jean-Louis, Adolphe Sax et le saxophone: 150 ans d’histoire, Josette Lyon, Paris, 1992.

Françaix, Jean. Cinq danses exotiques. Paris: Editions Max Eschig, 1957 (original score).

Grove, G., Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th Edition, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1954.

Howell, Charles. French Interpretive Practice, A Performer’s Guide to Music of the Classical Period, edited by Burton Karson, 2nd ed., pp. 239-258. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002.

Ingham, Richard. The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Londeix, J. Marie, Ronkin, Bruce, Chomprehesive Guide to Saxophone, Northeasten Music, 2003.

Potter, Caroline. French Music Since 1900, Ashgate Publishing, 2000.

Prost, Nicolas. Saxophone à la Française (French-Style Saxopone), Les Editions Sax c’est l’air!, 2008.

Ronkin, Bruce, Londeix. Guide to the Saxophone Repertoire, 1844 – 2012”, Roncorp, Paris, 2012.

Rovire, Jean-Pierre, Adolphe Sax 1814-1894 Inventeur de génie (The Inventor of Genius), Racine, Bruxelles, 2004.

Whittall, Arnold. Musical Composition in the Twentieth Century, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.

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Published

2025-12-30

How to Cite

CONSTANTIN, B., & POPA, L. (2025). JEAN FRANÇAIX : CINQ DANSES EXOTIQUES. A REFINED DIALOGUE BETWEEN SAXOPHONE AND PIANO. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Musica, 70(Special Issue 4), 45–78. https://doi.org/10.24193/subbmusica.2025.spiss4.03

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