Short bio Jean-Baptiste Singelee
Full biography Jean-Baptiste Singelee
Jean-Baptiste Singelee was a Belgian composer and violinist who lived during the Romantic period. He was born on September 25, 1812, in Brussels, Belgium, and died on September 29, 1875, in Paris, France. He is best known for his compositions for the saxophone, which he treated as a serious classical instrument. In fact, he was one of the first composers to do so.
Singelee wrote over thirty Solos de Concours for the saxophone and was a close friend of Adolph Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. He wrote the very first saxophone quartet for Sax and was also the first composer to write a concerto for the saxophone. His music for the saxophone is still widely performed today.
In addition to his work for the saxophone, Singelee wrote for other instruments as well. He composed two violin concertos, numerous instrumental pieces, and two concertos for other instruments. He was also a prolific composer of chamber music and wrote many works for string quartet.
Singelee's music is characterized by its lyrical melodies and virtuosic passages, which showcase the technical capabilities of the instruments for which he wrote. He was a highly skilled violinist himself and often performed his own works in concert.
Overall, Jean-Baptiste Singelee was an important figure in the development of classical music for the saxophone and a talented composer in his own right. His music continues to be performed and enjoyed by musicians and audiences alike.
Compositions featuring Jean-Baptiste Singelee
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fantaisie Brillante on "Tannhäuser", for violin & piano (after Wagner), Op. 131 | 14:07 min | Chamber Music | 1874 |
| 2 | Fantaisie for soprano saxophone & piano, Op. 102 | 4:13 min | Chamber Music | 1864 |
| 3 | Fantaisie, for soprano saxophone & piano, Op. 89 | 4:16 min | Chamber Music | 1863 |
| 4 | Solo de Concert, for tenor saxophone & piano No. 6, Op. 92 | 3:08 min | Choral | 1863 |
| 5 | Solo de Concert, for baritone saxophone & piano No. 7, Op. 93 | 3:39 min | Chamber Music | 1863 |
| 6 | Solo de Concert, for alto saxophone & piano No. 5, Op. 91 | 2:58 min | Choral | 1863 |
| 7 | Caprice, for soprano saxophone & piano, Op. 80 | 3:38 min | Chamber Music | 1862 |
| 8 | Solo de Concert, for tenor saxophone & piano No. 4, Op. 84 | 3:15 min | Choral | 1862 |
| 9 | Fantaisie Brillante for alto saxophone & piano, Op. 86 | 3:38 min | Choral | 1862 |
| 10 | Solo de Concert, for baritone saxophone & piano No. 3, Op. 83 | 4:11 min | Choral | 1862 |
| 11 | Concertino for alto saxophone & piano, Op. 78 | 3:50 min | Chamber Music | 1861 |
| 12 | Solo de Concert, for baritone saxophone & piano No. 2, Op. 77 | 3:11 min | Chamber Music | 1861 |
| 13 | Souvenir de la Savoie, fantaisie for soprano saxophone & piano, Op. 73 | 4:14 min | Chamber Music | 1860 |
| 14 | Solo de Concert, for alto saxophone & piano No. 1, Op. 74 | 2:32 min | Chamber Music | 1860 |
| 15 | Fantaisie Brillante for tenor saxophone & piano, Op. 75 | 3:20 min | Chamber Music | 1860 |
| 16 | Fantaisie for baritone saxophone & piano, Op. 60 | 4:14 min | Chamber Music | 1858 |
| 17 | Concerto, for tenor saxophone & piano, Op. 57 | 6:07 min | Concerto | 1858 |
| 18 | Quatuor de Saxophones | 15:56 min | Chamber Music | 1857 |
| 19 | Quartet for saxophones No. 1, Op. 53 | 17:29 min | Chamber Music | 1857 |
| 20 | Fantaisie for tenor saxophone & piano, Op. 50 | 7:24 min | Chamber Music | 185? |
| 21 | Grand Quatuor Concertant Op. 79 | 6:05 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 22 | Fantaisie on "La Fille de Madame Angot", for violin & piano (after Lecocq), Op. 136 | 10:27 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 23 | Fantaisie sur "La Favorite", for violin & piano (after Donizetti), Op. 27 | 14:48 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 24 | Fantaisie pastorale, for soprano saxophone & piano | 6:52 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 25 | Fantaisie on "Martha", for violin & piano (after Flotow), Op. 67 | 12:41 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 26 | Fantaisie on "La Juive", for violin & piano (after Halévy), Op. 138 | 13:01 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 27 | Fantaisie on "La Fille du Régiment", for violin & piano (after Donizetti), Op. 30 | 15:07 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 28 | Adagio et Rondo, for saxophone | 3:35 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 29 | Fantaisie on "Der fliegende Holländer", for violin & piano (after Wagner), Op. 128 | 9:30 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 30 | Fantaisie Brillante on "Obéron", for violin & piano (after Weber), Op. 141 | 11:51 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 31 | Fantaisie Brillante on "Le Cheval de Bronze", for violin & piano (after Auber), Op. 129 | 14:00 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 32 | Fantaisie Brillante on "La Reine d'un Jour", for violin & piano (after d'Adam), Op. 130 | 15:23 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 33 | Duo Concertante on "Le Barbier de Séville", for violin & piano (after Rossini), Op. 26 | 14:44 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 34 | Duo Concertant, Op. 55 | 13:43 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 35 | Andante & Allegro | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - | |
| 36 | Adagio et Rondo, Op. 63 | 3:22 min | Chamber Music | - |
Albums featuring Jean-Baptiste Singelee
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Jean-Baptiste Singelée, Thomas Wood (4), Brian Dykstra (2) – The Opera Fantasies For Violin And Piano, Vol. 2(CD, Album) | 2018 | Centaur Records |
| 2 |  |
Jacques Gregoir Et Adrien-François Servais, Jean-Louis Gobbaerts, Eduard Lassen, Jean-Baptiste Singelée, Franz Liszt, Dominique Cornil, Johan Schmidt, Marie Hallynck, Véronique Bogaerts – Wagner Chez Les Belges(CD, Compilation) | 2003 | Musique En Wallonie |
| 3 |  |
Copenhagen Saxophone Quartet - Singelée, Bozza, Dubois, Pascal, Rueff – Singelée · Bozza · Dubois · Pascal · Rueff | 2000 | Classico |
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