Responsible Transcriptions

I am an avid transcriber and arranger of classical music, as many concert saxophonists are. I enjoy hearing and performing new and daring transcriptions of works for instruments other than saxophone. One of the most important parts of transcribing is selecting appropriate music. It is a difficult but crucial choice to ensure the success of the resulting product. Furthermore, for every poor transcription made for saxophone, the influence of its players is diminished. Given that transcriptions are important to the saxophone’s survival, the transcribers must choose and execute their transcriptions wisely, and more importantly, responsibly.

Responsible Transcriptions is the symbolic name for this practice. Most transcribers are not composers, but performers (like myself) who lack the experience to make wise choices regarding repertoire and execution. Often I have sat through amazing performances of horrible transcriptions of works “frankensteined” to fit into a saxophone and piano ensemble. I too, have committed this foul. I have transcribed and performed works intended for a six-piece tango ensemble on alto saxophone and piano. Even though the audience’s reception was warm, and aesthetically, the work was pleasing, I am not particularly proud of that work.

Why? Because, for some reason, I had the audacity to think that I could accurately represent the intention that the great Piazzolla had for six instruments (including a piano!) on one instrument. Sure, I evoked the flavor of the tango, I even improvised in the style of Piazzolla, and for some people that is good enough, but not for me. At that point, I decided if I was going to transcribe anything ever again (and I already had plans for more projects) I was going to need to do a better job and representing the composer’s intentions, rather than satiate my own fervor to play something that I like to listen to. I was going to become subservient to the composers again.

So, if you are going to kow-tow to the composers, why transcribe it at all? Excellent point! I wish I never had to. Unfortunately, saxophonists don’t have works by Beethoven, Bach, and Haydn. Even some of the great twentieth-century composers have ignored the saxophone. As strongly as I believe in retaining the composer’s intention in a transcription, I also believe in expanding the saxophone repertoire as much as possible. This means commissioning new works and transcribing existing ones. It is the reality of being a classical saxophonist.

So, here are some guidelines I use to evaluate my own transcription projects:

Generally, I am only willing to transpose from the original key if the work is unaccompanied. Even so, when Bach wrote a Prelude in G, he didn’t intend for it to be played in A-flat. Use careful judgment when transposing.

Pianos make great piano sounds. They make horrible bandoneón sounds. If you want the piano to do more than sound like a piano, try playing your trombone and making it sound like a kazoo. Now you know how the pianist feels. Knock it off.

That is not to say you, as the arranger, can not challenge the pianist to do things that are very difficult. Just keep their sanity in mind.

Octave shifts are common when transposing string music to wind music. If the piece will require many of these (more than three?) it is probably best left to the original instrument.

Frequently, especially when reducing a large score to fit a small ensemble, the arranger must also become an editor and decide what notes are more important than others. Personally, I loathe this process and I try to avoid it at all costs. Even so, I have done it. But I try to avoid it whenever I can. If a work requires more than three edits, I usually won’t continue the project.

The most important question when I am transcribing (usually for saxophone) is, “Would a saxophone play that?” More simply, is the original material idiomatic for the target instrument? If the answer is, “No,” which is often the case, then I abandon the project. Of course, creativity and imagination play a key role. My current project involves transcribing piano works for saxophone and piano. I know right? Weird. But the reality is, when I put the project through these guidelines, it passed.

Ultimately, what we want to do as transcribers, is simply increase the appeal of a great piece of music but expanding the number of instruments that can play it. When done right, sometimes the composers (if living) enjoy the transcriptions more than the original work. Transcribing responsibly will uphold the integrity of the practice of transcribing as well as the integrity of the great work transcribed.