Music for Saxophone and Harp

Music for saxophone and harp possesses a unique status. In 1937, Gustav Bumcke (1876-1963) composed the Scherzo, op. 67 for alto saxophone and double-action pedal harp. Since then, over 50 duos were written for various members of the saxophone family and the pedal harp, yet most of this repertoire is rarely performed and many artists are not yet aware of it. This document investigates works that are (1) composed for two musicians: a harpist and a saxophonist; (2) intended for the double-action pedal harp; and (3) originally composed for this instrumentation (no transcriptions). In Part I, An Investigation of the Development of the Genre, pieces are introduced in chronological order, and placed in historical context. In Part II, Annotated Bibliography, 30 published, readily available works for saxophone and harp are presented, with a short discussion of each piece's form, harmony (if applicable), and any outstanding characteristics.