Pages 32-38

Paul de Ville continues his “Exercises is Slurring” which make great tone development studies for saxophonists at any level. They systematically move through the upper and lower registers of the saxophone and remind me of some of the Marcel Moyse tone studies for flute.
Exercises 42-61 are more of the “Exercises is Slurring” which cover all the diatonic intervals of the scale. They are half note and quarter note etudes, easy enough for a young player to develop some basic coordination and, if played faster, are a good workout for the experienced saxophonist. The exercises in “Thirds” (No. 46 and 47) are particularly good. If played as sixteenth notes instead of quarters, they present a couple of nice finger twisters. This set of studies requires that the saxophonist make leaps of a 5th, 6ths, 7ths and octave. Anyone who can accomplish this, at whatever tempo, has developed good embouchure control and finger coordination.
I studied the exercises with Vincent J. Abato. (Abato was a great cross over saxophonist having played lead alto with Glenn Miller and premiered the Creston Concerto with the New York Philharmonic.) Abato had me do many repetitions of these pages, being careful that I never slapped the keys and had a smooth connection between notes.
All of these pages are written in the key of C. They hard core saxophonist will want to transpose the “Exercises is Slurring”. Abato would have me insert different key signatures.
Please comment on these studies and share any creative ways that you have used them.
Thanks,
Neal Ramsay