Jean-Baptiste Singelée

Jean-Baptiste Singelée (1812-1875) was a Belgian classical composer of the romantic period.

He may have died in 1875 or 1876; some sources disagree.

According to the New Century Saxophone Quartet, Jean-Baptiste Singelée (1812-1876) was born in Brussels and studied at the Royal School of Music in Belgium. He was the violin soloist with the Royal Theater of Brussels and directed orchestras there and in Gand. Singelée was one of the first composers to treat the saxophone as a serious classical instrument, evidenced by his composing over 30 Solos de Concours for Sax and his students at the Paris Conservatory.

As a longtime friend of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone (they met as students at the Royal School of Music), he encouraged Sax to develop the four principal members of the saxophone family, and composed what is very likely the first work ever written for the saxophone quartet, his "Premier Quatuor, Op. 53," completed in 1857. In addition to his saxophone works, Singelée is credited with composing 12 concertos, many solo works for violin and other instruments as well as music for ballet.

Works

His compositions include:
*Quartet for Saxophones no. 1, Op. 53
*Duo concertant for Soprano Saxophone, Viola and Piano, Op. 55
*Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Piano, Op. 57
*Fantasia Pastorale for Soprano Saxophone and Piano
*Septième solo de concert, Op. 93
*Solo de Concert for Tenor Saxophone and Piano, Op. 83