S L A W E K  D U D A R

THE COLOURS OF TONALITIES              

alt saxophone solo

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HELLO EVERYBODY, MY DEARS!

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I am a Polish saxophonist, currently living in Germany, a graduate of the Jazz Department of the Academy of Music in Wrocław and a saxophone teacher at the School of Music - Symphony Orchestra in Hof, Germany, artistic director of the Festival - Hof Jazz Nights in Hof an der Saale.
Additionally, he is a sideman composer and leader of the bands Sławek Dudar Quartet, Blue Couch, Trylobity, and many others. As a musician, he explores various musical genres from jazz, funk, Indian music to film, electronic and club music.

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ABOUT THE COLOURS OF TONALITIES

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The saxophone is an instrument that acts like a voice and can convey feelings and emotions just like singing.

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By using different means, scales and our internal emotions, moods through sound design, we are able to influence the listener's emotions. Already in the Middle Ages, it was pointed out that each scale had a different impact on human emotions, and this fascinated me.

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In European music, we have 12 semitones, and by forming each note into a major scale, i.e. the ancient Greek Ionian scale, we get 12 keys.

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My goal was to show the different character and mood of each of these Tones. Each song on this album is performed in a different major key and all recorded in one recording session.

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In addition, it is also an attempt to show the diversity and richness of the sound of the saxophone as a solo instrument, without super effects or compressors...

 

A pure saxophone with a delicate addition of natural space. And yet I hope that I managed to show the richness of the saxophone sound and the variety of moods.

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The music on this album is a one-off session performed in real time, without so-called overdubs.

 

It was created as a result of various thoughts and on the spur of the moment, and was recorded spontaneously on March 12, 2023 in the city of Hof an der Saale in Germany.

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Enjoy listening

Sławek Dudar
 

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Addition:

The essence of the scale system created by Greek philosophers was that each key (modi), due to its separate structure, had a completely different ethos, or character. The modern major-minor system means that among the possible key characters we have two options - happy and sad.

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In ancient Greece, there were many more options, and the theory of ethos assumed that music composed in a given key had a specific impact on the listener - it not only strengthened but also weakened a person's character, evoked specific emotions, and created both good and evil.

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According to the theory of ethos, the major scale, also called the Ionic scale, was considered a convivial and frivolous scale, while the second minor scale - the Aeolian scale - was simply tearful.

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Plato also wrote about music in his dialogues that it is a service to the Muses. In The State, he drew attention to the effects of listening to music, stating that the most perfect scale is Doric - simple, calm, dignified and masculine. It should be used in war songs because it encourages battle. The Phrygian scale was also suitable for these purposes, arousing passion, but the philosopher warned that it should not be abused because it could cause anxiety. He considered the Lydian scale, commonly used in laments, to be plaintive and drunken. The equivalent of the modern major-minor system are the Ionian and Aeolian scales. According to the theory of ethos, the first one was convivial and frivolous, while the second one was simply plaintive. Plato also recognized the significant role of rhythm in music, recommending conservativeness in this matter. He believed that only traditional music was good and that all new music should be avoided because it led to... political upheaval.

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