Lately I've been enjoying a lot of saxophone quartet music while writing. Saxophone quartets are grossly underrated. String quartets get the headlines because in the small parlors of the 1700s, the lightweight and soft tones didn't blast the audience seated just a few feet away, but I'm partial to the sound of the woodwind, myself - and not just because I came of age listening to the sax-heavy soundtracks of the 1980s. There's something clean and pure in this particular woodwind that lends itself to a quartet. The natural blend of the different sizes of a saxophone, and the natural volume you get from them makes these perfect instruments for listening to on the streets and in the concert hall.
But that's not what this post is about today. Today's post is about the classic modern masterpiece that is the theme from "Super Mario Brothers". Check this out:
Four movements. Three styles. Peppy, breezy, maniacal interlude, menacing, then back to the original theme with a huge flourish at the end. That's a real crowd pleaser.
Speaking of which, have you ever been to a concert where the performer broke into this song? It's electric. Those first few bars are not just recognizable, they are beloved. Everybody knows them. Everybody loves them. The intro of this song makes the crowd sit up, laugh, and pay attention. They make people of all ages smile, and it's a safe bet they will continue to do so for the next 200 years.
