Listen to sample audio clips by clicking on the highlighted tracks.

Les Quatuors

Such a simple title belies the intensity and immense responsibility that is required to record five of the French masterpieces written for saxophone quartet. This recording was in essence already in the making from the very moment members of the Paragon Saxophone Quartet first held their instruments.

The "French School" of saxophone playing has a deeprooted tradition created by the great composers and artists of yesteryear; namely Debussy and Marcel Mule. Each member of Paragon is privileged to have studied with Mule’s pedagogical successors; Jean-Yves Fourmeau, Frederick L. Hemke and most notably Kyle Horch with whom all four members of Paragon studied at the Royal College of Music.

Such musicians remain an inspiration to each member of Paragon and by listening, studying, living and even rehearsing in France, the quartet continues to strive for a greater understanding of the French styles and cultures whilst retaining a decidedly British character.

Track List

JEAN BAPTISTE SINGELEE
Premier Quatuor, Op. 53 (1857)
1.	Andante-Allegro	4:54
2.	Adagio sostenuto	4:40
3.	Allegro vivace	1:39
4.	Allegretto	4:07
PIERRE MAX DUBOIS
Quatuor (1955)
5.	Ouverture	2:00
6.	Doloroso	4:27
7.	Spirituoso	2:28
8.	Andante-Presto	2:29
PAUL PIERNE
Trois Conversations (c. 1950)
9.	Conversation Amusante	1:37
10.	Conversation Sentimentale	3:23
11.	Conversation Animée	1:44
ALFRED DESENCLOS
Quatuor pour Saxophones (1964)
12.	Allegro non troppo	5:12
13.	Calmo-Andante	4:27
14.	Poco largo, ma risoluto-Allegro	5:25
GUY LACOUR
Quatuor pour Saxophones (1969)
15.	Elégie	5:23
16.	Scherzo	3:09
17.	Rondo Final	4:53

Tuning In

It may be said that Tuning In is a good title for an album, especially as it is also the title of one of our favourite signature pieces. For this album, we wanted to choose music that showed the diversity of the saxophone as well as the Paragon Saxophone Quartet. To this end, Tuning In is a musical snapshot of our favourite works, not only music written specifically for the saxophone but arrangements of works spanning the past 3 centuries. We enjoyed recording them. We hope you enjoy them too.

Track List

J.S. BACH
Italian Concerto, BWV97 (arr. Katsuki Tochio)
1.	Allegro	4:08
2.	Andante	5:52
3.	Presto	3:20
GABRIEL PIERNÉ
4.	Introduction et variations sur une ronde populaire	8:21
JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU (arr. Nigel Wood)
5.	Gavotte	7:08
R.A. MOULDS (arr. Nigel Wood)
6.	Three Russian Songs	6:08
JOE CUTLER
7.	Screaming 229a	6:43
JONATHAN DOVE
8.	Tuning In	12:00