Elie Apper (born 1933) is a Belgian classical saxophonist who is well known as a former member of the Saxophone Quartet of Belgium ("Le Quatuor Belge de Saxophones").[1] The quartet was founded in 1953 and made its American debut December 9, 1970, in Fort Worth with the Youth Orchestra of Greater Fort Worth. The Quartet was founded by Francois Daneels, who was a professor of saxophone at the Brussels Conservatory.[2]

Career edit

From 1972 to 1974, Apper served as visiting lecturer at the University of North Texas College of Music. He also was once a faculty member of the Flemish Conservatory and a soloist with the Flemish Radio and Television Orchestra and the Royal Band of the Belgian Guides.[3]

Saxophone Quartet members in 1970 edit

  • François Daneels (1921–2010), soprano saxophone
  • Alfred Jacquet, alto saxophone
  • Elie Apper, tenor saxophone
  • Jean Cunche, baritone saxophone

Higher education edit

Apper, a student of Francois Daneels at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, gained First Prize and was appointed Professor of Saxophone (Flemish section).[4]

Selected discography edit

  • Saxo-Rama, featuring Elie Apper, alto sax, Zéphyr Records Z-08 (LP) (1980); LCCN 88-752035; OCLC 18992280
Recorded at Studio Steurbaut, Ghent, Belgium (Gilbert Steurbaut)
Produced by Schott frères
Side A
  1. Concerto N° 1 for Alto Saxophone (1902), by Paul Gilson (1865–1942), Elie Apper; Royal Guides Band, Yvon Ducène [nl], conductor
  2. Divertimento N° 12 for 2 Saxophones, by Paul Arma (1905–1987), Elie Apper and Norbert Nozy, saxophonists
Side B
  1. Suite for Saxophone Quartet, by Jacques Leduc [nl] (born 1932), Saxofonia Ensemble
  2. Parades II For Saxophone Sextet, (1978), by Victor Legley (1915–1994), Saxofonia Ensemble
Sextet: Norbert Nozy (soprano saxophone), Elie Apper (alto saxophone), Rita Van der Meirsch (alto saxophone), Freddy Couché (tenor saxophone), Jozef Lauwers (tenor saxophone), Frank Commeene (baritone saxophone)
Elie Apper and Norbert Nozy, saxophones; Helene Luyten, piano and organ; Brussels Youth Orchestra; Hendrik Rycken (1928–2003), conductor; OCLC 682026940
Recorded at the Brussels Academy, November 1975 and July 1976
  1. Concerto, by Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936)
  2. Adagio, by Tomaso Albinoni (1671–1751)
  3. Facetten, Peter Cabus [nl] (1923–2000)
  4. "Beau Soir" (1877/78), by Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
  5. "A pas de loup," Pierre Max Dubois (1930–1995)
  6. La fille aux cheveux de lin (1909/10), by Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Royal Guides Band, Yvon Ducène [nl], conductor
Elie Apper, alto saxophone (on the 3rd piece)
  1. Hommage à Sax: diptyque concertant pour saxophone alto et orchestre de chambre (Éditions Alphonse Leduc, 1958), by René Bernier (1905–1984)
National Orchestra of Belgium, Daniel Sternefeld, conductor
François Daneels, soprano saxophone; Clovis Liénard, alto saxophone; Elie Apper, tenor saxophone; Jean Cunche, baritone saxophone
  • Récital de clarinette; Récital de saxophone; Quatuor Belge de Saxophones, Alpha DB-94 (LP) (1973); OCLC 20397506
Pierre de Leye, clarinet, Renée Stoefs, piano (in works 1-3); Cappelle Claudine, piano (in works 4-5)
Belgium Saxophone Quartet (in the last work): : François Daneels, soprano saxophone; Clovis Liénard, alto saxophone; Elie Apper, tenor saxophone; Jean Cunche, baritone saxophone
  1. Impressions de Cinema, by Léon Stekke (fr) (1904–1970)
  2. Reverdies by René Bernier (1905–1984)
  3. "Polonaise" Op. 74, by Carl Maria von Weber
  4. Intro & Dance, Guy Duijck [nl] (1927–2008)
  5. Andante & Fileuse, Pierre Petit, saxophone & piano
  6. 4 Sequences for 4 Saxophones, by Franz Constant
François Daneels, alto saxophone; Claudine Capelle, piano
Belgium Saxophone Quartet (in the last work): : François Daneels, soprano saxophone; Alfred Jacquet, alto saxophone; Elie Apper, tenor saxophone; Jean Cunche, baritone saxophone
Side A
  1. Fantaisie Caprice, for saxophone and piano, by Jean Absil (1893–1974)
  2. Sisyphus (1971), for saxophone and piano, William Peters Latham
  3. Variations, for saxophone quartet, Pierre Max Dubois

Selected performances edit

Suite on Romanian Themes, Op. 90 (1956), by Jean Absil (1893–1974)
Belgium Saxophone Quartet: François Daneels (1921–2010), soprano saxophone; Alfred Jacquet, alto saxophone; Elie Apper, tenor saxophone; Jean Cunche, baritone saxophone
Belgium Saxophone Quartet: François Daneels (1921–2010), soprano saxophone; Alfred Jacquet, alto saxophone; Elie Apper, tenor saxophone; Jean Cunche, baritone saxophone
Works by Claude Pascal, Jean Absil, and Jean Françaix

Selected publications edit

Elie Apper writes on his experiences and the history of the International Saxophone Symposium

References edit

  1. ^ International Who's Who In Music and Musicians' Directory, Adrian Gaster (1919–1989) (ed.), Cambridge: International Who's Who in Music
        8th ed. (1977); OCLC 3493652, 864762783
        9th ed. (1980); OCLC 655818187, 7519641
  2. ^ "Sax Quartet of Belgium in Fort Worth," Dallas Morning News, November 28, 1970
  3. ^ "NTSU Orchestra Slates Concert," Dallas Morning News, February 26, 1972
  4. ^ The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone, Richard Reed Ingham (born 1954) (ed.), Influential Soloists, Cambridge University Press (1998), pg. 31; LCCN 98-17404; ISBN 0521593484