STRONG associations with jazz and rock music, combined with a limited repertoire dating almost entirely from this century, have made it difficult for the saxophone to be taken seriously as a classical music instrument. In Ireland, very little music was written for saxophone prior to the 1970s. Gerard Victory's Sonatina for alto saxophone and piano (1974) remains the earliest work for the instrument in the CMC library. A handful of other works for saxophone solo or saxophone and piano were written by composers such as Frank Corcoran, Raymond Deane and James Wilson in the 1970s, but it was not until the 1980s that interest in writing for the instrument really developed. In the past ten years, in addition to a growing repertoire of solos and duos, there has been a considerable increase in the number of compositions using saxophone in chamber works.

Although there are a number of reasons for the current popularity of the saxophone in Irish musical life, the work of two excellent performers is surely a major factor. Gerard McChrystal and Kenneth Edge have, between them, premiered many Irish works for the instrument in recent years. They have also commissioned new works from leading Irish composers, recognising the importance of expanding and developing the repertoire.

Dublin-born Kenneth Edge is a frequent recital and concert performer and is also principal saxophone with the National Symphony Orchestra. As a student he was the premier award-winner in RTE's Young Musician of the Future competition, following which he studied at the Bordeaux Conservatoire with Jean-Marie Londeix. In recent months he has been performing as soprano saxophone soloist with the highly successful Irish dance show, Riverdance, in London and Dublin. He also played in the instrumental ensemble accompanying Opera Theatre Company's recent touring production of Michael Alcorn's L'Orfeo, in addition to solo and chamber work. In his parallel career as a composer, his music for CoisCéim Dance Theatre's production, Reel Luck, received excellent reviews last year. Future plans include the first performance of a major work for saxophone and orchestra to be written by John Buckley, a long-cherished project for composer and performer.

Kenneth Edge has given the first performances of Martin O'Leary's Breaks, Elaine Agnew's Ballyvaughan and John Buckley's Arabesque. He has also premiered several new works by guitarist and composer Benjamin Dwyer, among them Tiento (1994) for soprano saxophone and piano; Prakriti (1993 rev. 1995) for alto saxophone and piano; and Toccata (1993 rev. 1994) for oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone and bassoon. Commenting on Edge's performances of his music, Benjamin Dwyer noted the similarity of the saxophone to the sound of the human voice, an attribute which was a strong influence on another recent composition of his, Winter Psalms for mixed choir and soprano saxophone. 'It is surprising', Dwyer said, 'that an instrument which has dominated the jazz arena for so many years has only recently been taken up by contemporary "classical" composers. Berio, for instance, has now revised his Sequenza for oboe to make a version for soprano saxophone. And there is a vast range of extended techniques which are now being categorized, although a standard notation still does not exist.' Dwyer is currently working on a duo for alto and soprano saxophones, which will explore the instruments' abilities to offer various shadings of a given note, thus allowing timbre to play a larger role than normal.

Gerard McChrystal was born in Derry. After studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Guildhall School in London, he was a prize-winning scholarship student at Northwestern University, Chicago, where he received an MA in 1989. He made his concerto debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and, last May, made his US debut in two sell-out performances at the Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. Gerard McChrystal has been very active in encouraging the composition and publication of new music for saxophone. His first solo CD, Meeting Point, which was released in March 1996 on Silva Screen Records, contains two specially-commissioned works: Ian Wilson's I Sleep at Waking and Michael McGlynn's From Nowhere to Nowhere.

Believing that new music must be made easily available to potential performers, he is currently developing a saxophone series in collaboration with London publishers Camden Music. 'The basic idea behind the series', McChrystal said, 'is that I commission composers whose music I, personally, like. I hope other performers will feel, as I do, that the pieces are "new" but yet still acceptable to the general public. The other big reason for the series is to get Irish composers printed and published.' The Gerard McChrystal Saxophone Series includes several works by Irish composers, among them Ian Wilson's Drive for soprano saxophone and piano and I Sleep at Waking for alto saxophone. For Ian Wilson, writing for McChrystal is a very personal experience. 'The saxophone seems much more dependant than other instruments on the individual performer: personalities seem to be amplified. From my point of view, writing for Gerry and writing for the saxophone are one and the same.'

Other works to be issued in the now rapidly-expanding series are Eric Sweeney's Duo in a very successful version for soprano saxophone and piano; and a new piece for alto saxophone commissioned from Michael McGlynn, From Nowhere to Nowhere. McGlynn's beautiful arrangement of the Irish air, Anach Cuain for soprano saxophone and piano, will also be included. Gerard McChystal's plans to promote the new publications include a Wigmore Hall recital in London under the title The Celtic Connection, with Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith and a US tour with his recital partner, pianist Kathryn Page, both to take place later this year.

The Gerard McChrystal Saxophone Series is available from Camden Music, London (Tel/Fax: +44-171-267 8778), and good music shops.

The following works for saxophone are available from the Contemporary Music Centre:

Agnew, Elaine: Ballyvaughan (1989). Alto sax, piano.

Alcorn, Michael: Calypso's Song to Ulysses (1987-88). Soprano, alto fl, soprano sax, va, db, perc [vib, mar, 5 cymbals, crotales].

Brennan, John Wolf: Twelfth Night, Op. 77 (1992). 2 alto sax, tenor sax, bass sax. Musikverlag Pan Ag.

Buckley, John: Sonata for Cor Anglais/Saxophone and Piano (1973). Arabesque (1990). Alto sax.

Clarke, Rhona: Triptych (1990). satb, sax pf 2 vn va vc.

Corcoran, Frank: Variations with Air (1976). Alto sax.

Deane, Raymond: Parallels (1975). Alto sax, pf. Two Silhouettes (1993). cor anglais, b cl, alto sax, bn.

Dennehy, Donnacha: Contingency, Irony and Temporal Brutality (1993). Alto sax, piano. Of (1994). Soprano [amplified], ob, cl, alto sax, hn, trbn, pf vn va vc db.

Dwyer, Benjamin: Prakriti (1993 rev. 95). Alto sax. Tiento (1994). Soprano sax, piano. Toccata (1993 rev. 1994). ob, cl, alto sax, bn.

Farrell, Eibhlís: Arioso (1994). Alto sax.

Flood, Philip One Fine Day...(1988). tpt, soprano sax, vc, pf, perc, 2 Yamaha SPX90, amplification.

Guilfoyle, Ronan: Sequence of Events. bn tpt trbn tenor sax perc. Sonata for Violin/Saxophone and Piano (1994).

Kelly, Mary: Tussenmeer (1990). fl alto sax vn vc.

Morris, David: Replay (1984). Alto sax, perc [cymbals, tom-toms, snare drum], tape.

O'Connell, Kevin: Sonata for Saxophone and Piano (1988). CMC/3102.

O'Leary, Martin: Breaks (1986). Alto sax.

Sweeney, Eric: Duo (1991). vn/cl/fl/sax, piano.

Victory, Gerard: Sonatina (1974). Alto sax, pf. Dorn Music.

Wilson, Ian: ...so softly (1992). Alto sax, 2 tenor sax, bar sax. Drive, Op. 20 (1992). Soprano sax, pf. Camden Music. I sleep at waking (1995). Alto sax. Camden Music. The Howler, Op. 3 (1987). Soprano, fl+a fl, cl+b cl, soprano sax+tenor sax, vn, va, vc, perc.