The overall objective of this chapter is to study Elise Hall’s patronage in early twen-tieth-century saxophone music. By commissioning new musical works for the saxo-phone from sixteen (mostly European) composers, Hall not only established trans-atlantic musical networks in the beginning of the twentieth century, but she also expanded the repertoire significantly and laid the foundations for the most canonical works in saxophone performance to the present day. This chapter aims to approach Hall’s efforts for the saxophone in their full complexity. Whereas existing scholar-ship frames her straightforwardly as a wealthy woman who paid composers to write works that she could perform herself, the present chapter seeks to go beyond the clichés and highlight several aspects of Hall as a patron and performer. It situates her efforts against the background of early saxophone repertoire and the central role of female patrons at the turn of the nineteenth century. I also aim to analyze crucial his-torical documents testifying to Hall’s contributions, including Hall’s reception in the contemporary press and the function of the dedications in the compositions written for her. Finally, building on theories from the field of patronage studies, this chapter also invites present and future scholars to reflect more conceptually on the intricacies of Hall’s life and work.

Onderwerpen: 1800-1900 1900-2000 muziekwereld geven aan kunstenaars

Auteur: dr. Kurt Bertels