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The Devil's Horn: The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to King of Cool
The 160-year history of the saxophone comes to brilliant life in Michael Segell's wonderfully researched, beautifully told The Devil's Horn . Beginning with "a sound never heard before," Segell's portrait follows the iconographic instrument as it is lauded for its sensuality, then outlawed for its influence, and finally credited with changing the face of popular culture. A deeply personal story of one man's love for music-making, a universal story of artistic and political revolution, and a trenchant critique of the global forces that stand in art's way, The Devil's Horn is music writing at its very finest.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 8, 2021
I had misgivings when I picked up this book and began to wonder why I was reading it, instead of, say, a history of knitting. But even as a non-musician it became interesting as it recounted many facets of the saxophone’s history and usage. The saxophone is a relatively new instrument and was initially viewed with a certain amount of suspicion, and involved the saxophone in social history as well.
Segell writes, “Like its inventor, the saxophone is ambitious, aggressive, insinuating, and contrarian. It encourages personal expression; because of its revolutionary acoustical design, everyone who puts a saxophone to his lips produces a unique sound.” The inventor, Otto Sax, a 32 year old Belgian acoustical master, launched his new instrument in l844, a combination of a horn with a clarinet-like reed mouthpiece. He planned for a series of saxophones, ranging from tenor to bass, and six types are commonly played today. He had an enthusiastic response from the composer Berlioz, but faced hostility from Parisian instrument makers who saw the saxophone as a threat to their monopoly on interchangeable musical parts. They filed suits against him for patent infringements and made Sax’s life difficult
The saxophone became very popular in the early 20th century, not in classical music, but in the developing jazz scene. Black saxophone players generally played in bands in seedy dance halls and fin the 1920’s the saxophone became a scapegoat for all the evils attached to jazz and its dancing. This led to it being called the “Devil’s Horn.” One newspaper editorial piece written in l917 called it the “Siren of Satan”. Another writer wrote that it “preys on the passion and the emotions” and often simulated “orgasmic release.”
It soon outgrew this reputation and Segell writes extensively about the playing of such great saxophone players as Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Benny Carter, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, and many others. A writer can’t do justice to them on the printed page, but Segell proceeds with some technical discussion of different techniques and quotes many people who try to describe their reactions to what they heard. I found the best way to appreciate the discussion of individual players was to listen to You-tube selections of their music.
It wasn’t just in jazz, though, where the saxophone was important. It became popular in school bands as it was relatively easy to learn to play and reached a much wider audience. For professional players, pop music, recording sessions, and soundtracks, paid the bills .. Segell goes on to write at length about how saxophones are made and the technical characteristics of how sound is produced in the brass cylinders of various saxophones. He even discusses what are considered the best reeds, nearly all of which come from rushes that grow in the Vars region of southern France.
At the present time, the saxophone is a respected instrument, widely taught in universities, and one that is considered at home in the classical mmsic world. The saxophone is here to stay and its future is secure, underscored by Segell in titling his last chapter, “Gabriel’s Horn”. From the Devil to Gabriel, shows how far far its reputation has come.
Segell writes, “Like its inventor, the saxophone is ambitious, aggressive, insinuating, and contrarian. It encourages personal expression; because of its revolutionary acoustical design, everyone who puts a saxophone to his lips produces a unique sound.” The inventor, Otto Sax, a 32 year old Belgian acoustical master, launched his new instrument in l844, a combination of a horn with a clarinet-like reed mouthpiece. He planned for a series of saxophones, ranging from tenor to bass, and six types are commonly played today. He had an enthusiastic response from the composer Berlioz, but faced hostility from Parisian instrument makers who saw the saxophone as a threat to their monopoly on interchangeable musical parts. They filed suits against him for patent infringements and made Sax’s life difficult
The saxophone became very popular in the early 20th century, not in classical music, but in the developing jazz scene. Black saxophone players generally played in bands in seedy dance halls and fin the 1920’s the saxophone became a scapegoat for all the evils attached to jazz and its dancing. This led to it being called the “Devil’s Horn.” One newspaper editorial piece written in l917 called it the “Siren of Satan”. Another writer wrote that it “preys on the passion and the emotions” and often simulated “orgasmic release.”
It soon outgrew this reputation and Segell writes extensively about the playing of such great saxophone players as Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Benny Carter, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, and many others. A writer can’t do justice to them on the printed page, but Segell proceeds with some technical discussion of different techniques and quotes many people who try to describe their reactions to what they heard. I found the best way to appreciate the discussion of individual players was to listen to You-tube selections of their music.
It wasn’t just in jazz, though, where the saxophone was important. It became popular in school bands as it was relatively easy to learn to play and reached a much wider audience. For professional players, pop music, recording sessions, and soundtracks, paid the bills .. Segell goes on to write at length about how saxophones are made and the technical characteristics of how sound is produced in the brass cylinders of various saxophones. He even discusses what are considered the best reeds, nearly all of which come from rushes that grow in the Vars region of southern France.
At the present time, the saxophone is a respected instrument, widely taught in universities, and one that is considered at home in the classical mmsic world. The saxophone is here to stay and its future is secure, underscored by Segell in titling his last chapter, “Gabriel’s Horn”. From the Devil to Gabriel, shows how far far its reputation has come.
March 2, 2008
So I’m reading The Devil’s Horn which I’ve mentioned elsewhere and was thrown a real curveball halfway through it when author Michael Segell shares the story of how the Conn music company, recognizing the monetary benefits to be exploited thanks to the Saxophone’s popularity, lobbied the government to include music classes in public school’s curriculum partly by suggesting their health benefits to students’ development.
As Segell explains, “Self-serving or not, the Conn Company’s efforts, underwritten by its enormous saxophone profits, helped establish a musical curriculum in American public schools that became a model for the rest of the world.”
As a result of the saxophone’s great popularity in the twenties and thirties, fierce and unscrupulous competition emerged among the manufacturers. “Unrestrained by truth-in-advertising laws or simple common sense, the competitor’s marketing campaigns strove to outdo each other in their outlandish claims. ‘Learning to play the Saxophone is much the same as a youngster learning numbers and letters by moving blocks - and almost as simple,’ declared the Buescher company.
Even though Segell explains that, “National educator’s conferences repeatedly affirmed the value of music education,” what if all the hype about how beneficial and necessary music and art curriculum is to students is all just another example of corporate bullshit being crammed down the throats of innocent citizens by their own government?
What if “math’s importance” is just a big scam by Texas Instruments in order to sell tons of TI-83 graphing calculators?
What if history and geography’s “importance” is just a longstanding nefarious scheme purported by Rand McNally to sell more maps?
Has Garmin been lacing America’s water supply with an additive that renders the male population spatially challenged and overly stubborn when it comes to asking for directions so that they could sell a shitload of GPS guides?
Ok. Enough of the paranoia. You’ve had your fun. Go turn on some Stan Getz. Calm down. And read This Is Your Brain on Music. Or The Rest is Noise. Or Musicophilia.
As Segell explains, “Self-serving or not, the Conn Company’s efforts, underwritten by its enormous saxophone profits, helped establish a musical curriculum in American public schools that became a model for the rest of the world.”
As a result of the saxophone’s great popularity in the twenties and thirties, fierce and unscrupulous competition emerged among the manufacturers. “Unrestrained by truth-in-advertising laws or simple common sense, the competitor’s marketing campaigns strove to outdo each other in their outlandish claims. ‘Learning to play the Saxophone is much the same as a youngster learning numbers and letters by moving blocks - and almost as simple,’ declared the Buescher company.
Even though Segell explains that, “National educator’s conferences repeatedly affirmed the value of music education,” what if all the hype about how beneficial and necessary music and art curriculum is to students is all just another example of corporate bullshit being crammed down the throats of innocent citizens by their own government?
What if “math’s importance” is just a big scam by Texas Instruments in order to sell tons of TI-83 graphing calculators?
What if history and geography’s “importance” is just a longstanding nefarious scheme purported by Rand McNally to sell more maps?
Has Garmin been lacing America’s water supply with an additive that renders the male population spatially challenged and overly stubborn when it comes to asking for directions so that they could sell a shitload of GPS guides?
Ok. Enough of the paranoia. You’ve had your fun. Go turn on some Stan Getz. Calm down. And read This Is Your Brain on Music. Or The Rest is Noise. Or Musicophilia.
February 7, 2018
I gave this book three stars - 'liked it,' as Goodreads says. it's always to give a single rating when most books combine good and not so good, which is what reviews are for. As a former sax player, I was looking for a history of the instrument, its creation, development and use over the years. For the most part I got that, so there's the good.
On the other hand, this book was written in a style that has been showing up in recent years, and that I find rather annoying. It's sort of an anthropological approach - the author goes to live with the savages, and comes back to tell his story. Or in this case, the author - not a musician - buys a sax much to good (and expensive) for him, and takes lessons. Apparently, this is meant to 'humanize' the subject. Which is another way of saying that the editor or publisher thinks that without the added 'human interest' aspect, the average reader of this book would lose interest. Rather patronizing, in my opinion.
I found myself reading the actual sax content in this book, and skipping over the 'I... I... I... ' parts. And I'll assume that the $3500 spent on a sax for a beginner was expensed. Or was it all a dream?
On the other hand, this book was written in a style that has been showing up in recent years, and that I find rather annoying. It's sort of an anthropological approach - the author goes to live with the savages, and comes back to tell his story. Or in this case, the author - not a musician - buys a sax much to good (and expensive) for him, and takes lessons. Apparently, this is meant to 'humanize' the subject. Which is another way of saying that the editor or publisher thinks that without the added 'human interest' aspect, the average reader of this book would lose interest. Rather patronizing, in my opinion.
I found myself reading the actual sax content in this book, and skipping over the 'I... I... I... ' parts. And I'll assume that the $3500 spent on a sax for a beginner was expensed. Or was it all a dream?
November 22, 2022
This is an original and personal history of the saxophone. The author is a keen player and his enthusiasm for this unique instrument is very apparent. There are many interviews with famous players from all types music from Jazz to Rhythm & Blues, Gospel and Classical which highlight, without exception each player's love for the instrument. The history is not in straightforward chronological order but there are chapters on personal sound, saxophone collectors and classical compositions amongst others. A very interesting read with an unusual and individual structure.
October 18, 2011
I have played the saxophone for 28 years, and I have always been in love with the instrument. In truth, my sister chose the sax for me. She played clarinet, and I wanted to follow suit in my quest to be just like her, when it came time to pick an instrument for the school band. But she told me I should choose a different instrument, so we could each have our own and play together. Saxophone plays well with clarinet, she told me. Choose saxophone. Looking back, I can't imagine it any other way. It was difficult for me to gain interest in any other instrument until I was in high school, when I decided I wanted to play all sorts of instruments on my way toward a degree in music composition.
The subject matter of this book is of obvious interest to me, and I was even more intrigued because of its title. The history is fascinating, with its ups and downs, its hidden stories most people don't know. Adolphe Sax nearly died so many times starting at an early age, it's a wonder we ever got to meet his invention. And the characters encountered along the way, both historically and in the contemporary interviews, are fantastic. There are some great quotes I found in their comments, and the differing personalities help the story's dichotomy along. And perhaps it is this split personality-- jazz and legit, brass and woodwind, sweet and devilish-- that appeals to me, a gemini in many senses, in the history of this magnificent instrument.
I had hoped for the author's journey to be more interesting to me. As he researched the book, he was learning to play the tenor sax himself. But this part of the book lacks a grittiness I longed for with the author. He is too naive, too clean, too milquetoast. Even in his yearning to find his voice, I found myself cringing as if I stumbled upon someone's sappy moments rather than opening the door on a lusty affair.
I wish I could rate this book with fractions of stars, because I think it really should be just under four stars.
The subject matter of this book is of obvious interest to me, and I was even more intrigued because of its title. The history is fascinating, with its ups and downs, its hidden stories most people don't know. Adolphe Sax nearly died so many times starting at an early age, it's a wonder we ever got to meet his invention. And the characters encountered along the way, both historically and in the contemporary interviews, are fantastic. There are some great quotes I found in their comments, and the differing personalities help the story's dichotomy along. And perhaps it is this split personality-- jazz and legit, brass and woodwind, sweet and devilish-- that appeals to me, a gemini in many senses, in the history of this magnificent instrument.
I had hoped for the author's journey to be more interesting to me. As he researched the book, he was learning to play the tenor sax himself. But this part of the book lacks a grittiness I longed for with the author. He is too naive, too clean, too milquetoast. Even in his yearning to find his voice, I found myself cringing as if I stumbled upon someone's sappy moments rather than opening the door on a lusty affair.
I wish I could rate this book with fractions of stars, because I think it really should be just under four stars.
March 30, 2013
Wonderful history of the saxophone! Definitely look up the artist talked about. This book not only informs, but can also open doors to music and musicians long dead and or neglected. So many styles. So much music!
May 21, 2019
As a saxophone player there were several really informative parts of this book, such as how mouthpieces are constructed and the impact of the shape and size of the horn's parts on the sounds. There are also some fanciful things in the books, such as they depth of meaning in the sound of the horn, its impact on people and their psyche, but these are not bad, just a bit overblown. People really love listening to this instrument, as I do. He jumps around some, but most of the book is well written and his prose is pretty well put together.
I would read this if you want to know the history of the sax and the people who have influenced its design, development and popularity.
I would read this if you want to know the history of the sax and the people who have influenced its design, development and popularity.
February 21, 2022
No doubt this was a dense, slow read (invariably i would get sleepy about 2 pages in every time I picked it up), but it had enough moments where I was engaged to make it worth the time and effort. I think I was hoping for more sections dedicated to the giants of the 40s-60s. I was a little surprised how light this book is about Sonny Rollins, as he about warrants his own book.
The sections dedicated to the author's own journey with the saxophone were among my favorites. They always ended too quickly for my tastes.
The sections dedicated to the author's own journey with the saxophone were among my favorites. They always ended too quickly for my tastes.
September 16, 2021
The sound of the saxophone roared throughout this history starting with the invention of the musical instrument. Adolphe Sax created an instrument which was a hybrid bringing the best of sound to bands over the past 150 years.
An inspiring history of whos who in the saxophone world is laid out by Segell.
I simply honor his efforts and will reread it as he has spoken with, played with, experimented with and drank coffee with hundreds of top notch musicians and I applaud that.
An inspiring history of whos who in the saxophone world is laid out by Segell.
I simply honor his efforts and will reread it as he has spoken with, played with, experimented with and drank coffee with hundreds of top notch musicians and I applaud that.
January 11, 2021
I‘m usually not into non-fiction, but the topic interested me, and Segell manages to make the matter very entertaining and at the same time extremely educational. So when reading, have google and Spotify at hand, and plan in lots of time to read up on the musicians mentioned and to listen into their work, and you‘ll have a hell of a time. — Guaranteed!
July 13, 2020
Thorough, interesting, and full of personality!
December 21, 2020
Great book
I really enjoyed this book. Full of interesting anecdotes about my favourite instrument. I have just finished it and I think I might reread it🤔
I really enjoyed this book. Full of interesting anecdotes about my favourite instrument. I have just finished it and I think I might reread it🤔
December 28, 2020
I play the alto saxophone, so was of interest to me. Not geared to idle curiosity, probably!
November 2, 2023
A fascinating look at the saxophone's history and history makers.
January 24, 2020
This book was very interesting to me. I don't usually read non fiction books that are informational along with historical so that was an interesting aspect of my reading experience as well. I was drawn to this book by the fact that I play the instrument, and I was not disappointed in what came out of it. The history of the saxophone is by no means bland and learning new things about an instrument I thought I already knew much about was intriguing.
October 1, 2023
Great for those who want to know about a cool horn.
January 30, 2010
I've recently started playing tenor sax again, and my Dad got me this for hannukah a few years back so I thought I'd pick it up. The author clearly loves the saxophone and his enthusiasm carries the reader, at least somewhat, through this book, though it is at times unconscionably boring. Don't read it if you do not play/love saxophones, and even then, you should probably just listen to Charlie Parker's recordings instead.
June 15, 2013
As a guy who loves the sax but hasn't taken the time to get very good at it, I particularly dug this book. The other ties together his own journey in learning to play the sax with the history of the saxophone and interviews with various people who played major, yet sometimes unknown, roles in the world of saxophones. Overall, I found it a fun, interesting read.
July 7, 2014
As a saxophonist, I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Segell's book. However, based on the time he spends on the jazz medium, Segell had a tendency to repeat himself. This could probably have been remedied by spending more time on the classical side of the instrument. Overall, a very good book.
May 9, 2015
After a fairly dry start the book really gets interesting (for me) when we get to the early R&B era. I am finding so many names to research on utbe and Wiki. etc. A really good reference book made all the more interesting by some fascinating anecdotes.
January 4, 2008
Excellent history of the saxophone and it's inventor. Very interesting read, at least for a saxophone player.
January 20, 2015
Great overview/history of the saxophone. Must reading for all saxophonists!
September 12, 2008
I am not a saxophonist - I am a bassist. However, the importance of the sax to jazz simply can not be overstated. So, if you are a jazz enthusiast at all, this one is a must.
April 15, 2009
Well, from a sax player's perspective...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREAT!!!
July 21, 2009
A fun read about the saxophone!
January 7, 2011
This is a fascinating look at the history of the saxophone (my instrument).
April 13, 2012
Any person who has played the saxophone should read this book. For those who struggle to understand a saxophonist's obsession MUST read this book. A first rate book.
September 22, 2012
Amazing history of the saxophone
October 12, 2012
Incredibly informative history of the saxophone; Chapter 8 - "The Naked Lady" is about my Grandfather, Ralph Morgan!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews