The "ALLIAGE QUINTET" is one of the most creative and successful saxophone ensembles in Germany and Europe. Its characteristics are a huge diversity in style, but also the blending of different epochs and ways of playing. This is also represented in their name: alliage is the French physical term for "alloy", thus referring to the saxophone being an alloy of copper and zinc. In the broader sense, it describes the musical ideal of the five musicians forming one homogeneous whole and their perfectly attuned play.
The quintet was founded by Daniel Gauthier, currently the only professor for classical saxophone in Germany (Hochschule für Musik, Cologne) and the ensemble‘s leader and sopranist. He is joined by three of the presently best soloists on the saxophone: Eva Barthas, alto, Simon Hanrath, tenor, and Sebastian Pottmeier, baritone. The three latter studied in Cologne, Bordeaux and Paris, and also teach at German conservatories. The quintet is completed by the Korean pianist Jang Eun Bae, experienced and well-versed chamber musician.
The quintet‘s core repertoire consists of well-known masterpieces of all epochs, exceptionally sesitively and cleverly arranged for the ensemble. Current programmes include Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Rimski-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Carmen by Bizet and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Furthermore, original works of the standard repertoire for classical saxophone quartett hold an important position for Alliage. These include the grand quartets of Alexander Glazunow and Florent Schmitt as well as contemporary composers such as Georges Aperghis and Iannis Xenakis.
With its unique programme, the Alliage Quintet performs successfully on the narrow ridge between subtle chamber music and sophisticated entertainment and can fill the major concert halls throughout Germany and Europe.
Besides several radio broadcastings, the ensemble has so far published two CDs, one of which ("Una voce poco fa") received the renowned ECHO Klassik award in 2005. On their second CD, "A la recherche du rêve perdu", the five musicians travelled back in time to Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, to confront his instrument with works of his contemporaries Mendelssohn and Schumann. Their CD "Masquerade" with arrangements of J. S. Bach and re-compositions of Vivaldi‘s Four Seasons has been released at SONY CLASSICAL.
The "ALLIAGE QUINTET" is one of the most creative and successful saxophone ensembles in Germany and Europe. Its characteristics are a huge diversity in style, but also the blending of different epochs and ways of playing. This is also represented in their name: alliage is the French physical term for "alloy", thus referring to the saxophone being an alloy of copper and zinc. In the broader sense, it describes the musical ideal of the five musicians forming one homogeneous whole and their perfectly attuned play.
The quintet was founded by Daniel Gauthier, currently the only professor for classical saxophone in Germany (Hochschule für Musik, Cologne) and the ensemble‘s leader and sopranist. He is joined by three of the presently best soloists on the saxophone: Eva Barthas, alto, Simon Hanrath, tenor, and Sebastian Pottmeier, baritone. The three latter studied in Cologne, Bordeaux and Paris, and also teach at German conservatories. The quintet is completed by the Korean pianist Jang Eun Bae, experienced and well-versed chamber musician.
The quintet‘s core repertoire consists of well-known masterpieces of all epochs, exceptionally sesitively and cleverly arranged for the ensemble. Current programmes include Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Rimski-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Carmen by Bizet and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Furthermore, original works of the standard repertoire for classical saxophone quartett hold an important position for Alliage. These include the grand quartets of Alexander Glazunow and Florent Schmitt as well as contemporary composers such as Georges Aperghis and Iannis Xenakis.
With its unique programme, the Alliage Quintet performs successfully on the narrow ridge between subtle chamber music and sophisticated entertainment and can fill the major concert halls throughout Germany and Europe.
Besides several radio broadcastings, the ensemble has so far published two CDs, one of which ("Una voce poco fa") received the renowned ECHO Klassik award in 2005. On their second CD, "A la recherche du rêve perdu", the five musicians travelled back in time to Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, to confront his instrument with works of his contemporaries Mendelssohn and Schumann. Their CD "Masquerade" with arrangements of J. S. Bach and re-compositions of Vivaldi‘s Four Seasons has been released at SONY CLASSICAL.
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