There are five doodles on Google home pages around the world today to celebrate the 201st birth anniversary of the inventor the saxophone - Antoine-Joseph Sax, also known as Adolphe Sax. Sax was born on November 6, 1814 in Dinant, Belgium. His father Charles Joseph Sax was a maker of wind and brass instruments, as well as of pianos, harps, and guitars.
In the mid-19th century, Adolphe Sax noticed a void somewhere between the brass and woodwind sections and "being both a talented musician and the enterprising man that he was, he started tinkering and endeavoured to fill it. The result was the iconic, honey-toned instrument still bearing his name: the saxophone," says Google describing the Adolphe Sax doodle. Sax's "eponymous saxophone had a sound all its own, a wonderfully smoky middle ground between the two."
Sax studied the flute and clarinet and in 1842 he exhibited the saxophone in Paris. The saxophone is a metal single-reed instrument, with a conical bore. Two octave key vents allow the instrument to overblow to a higher register at the octave. The saxophone was patented in 1846.
The saxophone (also known simply as sax) has been popularised by musicians such as John Coltrane, Lisa Simpson, and Kenny G. Sax left no historical account of his invention but it was intended for use in both military bands and orchestras.
Though the saxophone is not widely used as a concert instrument but it is quite popular in jazz. It has great flexibility and blends well with both brasses and woodwinds.
As Sax didn't stop with the saxophone and went on with exploring, experimenting and creating new, somewhat unusual instruments, Google decided to create, not one, but five different doodles. With each celebrating one of Adolphe Sax's inventions with an exception - 'The Googlehorn.' This was "inspired by the intricate tubing Sax employed to alter and manipulate sound," says Google.
Adolphe Sax died on February 7, 1894 in Paris.
Today's doodle has been created by Google doodler Lydia Nichols and the instruments that feature on the doodle are Saxtuba, Alto Sax, 7-Bell Trombone, Soprano Sax and 'Googlehorn.'
The five Adolphe Sax Google doodles
An initial sketch of the Adolphe Sax Google doodle
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