Things to think about while playing: Phrasing. Each phrase is like a sentence of a story. Which note is most important? When should I breathe? How do I keep the audience engaged? Dynamics. Have you tried the long tone and dynamics exercises? If not, start there. We want to explore the full range of dynamics available to us! (Long Tones for Tenor and Baritone Saxophone) Tempo. Any good story will have some dramatic pauses and some fast-paced action! Change up the pacing as you play. Context. As you practice these melodies, listen to a few different ensemble recordings. How does the melody fit with the overall harmonic structure? Did this conductor interpret it differently than that conductor? Creativity! You're the conductor now! Once you can play it comfortably, try each melody a few different ways and see what you like or don't like.
Saxophone feature- St. Louis Blues
Although the saxophone was invented in France and was originally considered a more "classical" instrument, many would say it really found its home in jazz. So here is one of the most famous blues tunes by the Father of the Blues himself, W.C. Handy. There are no tempo, dynamic, phrasing, or articulation marks in this version, so do some listening and experiment!
Here are some more fantastic public domain melodies set for bassoon! Again, all expressive decisions are left up to you for now; listen to some different recordings and see what you like.
A Finnish folk tune that was made famous by Jean Sibelius.
From the trombone collections! This orchestral excerpt from Wagner has become incredibly famous in popular culture. We've included it in its original key and an easier adaptation.
From the euphonium collection! A very popular Irish folk tune. Don’t back off on the high notes- this is your chance to practice beautiful tone quality in the upper register!