Paul Brodie

Brodie, Paul
Paul (Zion) Brodie. Saxophonist, teacher, b Montreal 11 Apr 1934, d Toronto 19 Nov 2007; B MUS (Michigan), M MUS (Michigan) 1958. Paul Brodie studied clarinet in high school and played with the Regina Lions Junior Band. He studied saxophone 1953-8 with Larry Teal at Ann Arbor and in 1959 with Marcel Mule in Paris, and made his New York debut at Town Hall in 1960. He taught woodwinds 1959-60 at the Royal Conservatory of Music, 1968-73 at the University of Toronto and began teaching at York University in 1982. In 1961 he founded the Brodie School of Music and Modern Dance in Toronto; he was its director until the school closed in 1979.

In 1969 Paul Brodie founded the World Saxophone Congress in Chicago with Eugene Rousseau to demonstrate the versatility of the saxophone. The congress is an international event that is held every three years. The third congress, hosted by Brodie, took place in 1972 in Toronto; Montreal hosted the congress in 2000. New works were commissioned for the Toronto congress by the CBC (Violet Archer: Sonata), the Ontario Arts Council (Rudolf Komorous: Dingy Yellow) and the Canada Council (John Weinzweig: Divertimento No. 6).

In 1972 Brodie formed the Paul Brodie Saxophone Quartet with his pupils Lawrence Sereda, Robert Pusching and John Price. In 1976 the quartet represented Canada at the World Saxophone Congress in London. By 1978 members of the quartet in 1978 were Brodie, Price, Marino Galluzzo and John Salistian. The quartet appeared in the film A Circle of Two, directed by Jules Dassin. It ceased activities in 1979 due to Brodie's increasing solo commitments.

As one of Canada's foremost proponents of the classical saxophone, Brodie performed and recorded original works and transcriptions of Baroque, Classical, Romantic and modern works on the alto, soprano and sopranino saxophones. He persuaded Keith Bissell, Richard Henninger, Lothar Klein, William McCauley, Oskar Morawetz, Tibor Polgar and others to compose for the saxophone. His playing - flexible, restrained, strong technically and fine tonally - was a factor in the success of his crusade. Brodie toured as soloist and with the quartet throughout Canada, the US, Europe and Mexico, and appeared with Camerata, the Halifax Symphony Orchestra, the Hamilton Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver Chamber Orchestra. In 1977 Brodie became the first concert saxophonist to tour Australia; he returned there in 1984 while on tour in Southeast Asia and New Zealand. In 1990 he spent a month in China, performing and giving master classes.

His pupils included Robert Bauer, Jean-Guy Brault, Bob Brough, Karin Goldberg, Glen Montgomery, Ramon Ricker, Bill Smith, Michael Stuart and John Tank. A recording by Brodie was heard on the soundtrack for the movie Heaven Can Wait and his recording of "The Rose of Sharon" was included on Gilmour's Album: All-Time Favourites. In 1994 Paul Brodie was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Writings
Paul Brodie: Ambassador of the Saxophone, 2nd ed (Bala 2000)

A Student's Guide to the Saxophone (Agincourt, Ont 1979)

"From the diary of Paul Brodie," Canadian Band Directors' Association Journal, Spring 1997

Discography

Archer Sonata for saxophone. Brough piano. 1973. RCI 412/6-ACM 17

Badings - Mather - et al. Schechter piano. 1969. Golden Crest RE-7037

Baroque and Classical Music for Soprano Saxophone: Tartini - Leclair - et al. Kubalek piano. 1971. Golden Crest RE-7041

Duets for saxophone: Telemann - Leclair. J.M. Londeix saxophone. 1975. Golden Crest RE-7062

Encores! Chopin - Bizet - et al. Schechter piano. 1982. Golden Crest RE-7102

The Golden Age of the Saxophone: Marie - Kreisler - at al. Schechter piano. 1982. 2-CBC Musica Viva MV-1005

Koechlin Etudes for alto saxophone and piano. Kubalek piano. 1974. Classic Editions 16

Mr. Saxophone and the Three Bears. 1983. Golden Crest CRS-31057

More Encores! Kreisler - Grieg - et al. Schechter piano. 1982. Golden Crest RE-7103

Paul Brodie and Camerata: McPeek Trillium Suite - Dubois - Koechlin - Wilder. 1980. Golden Crest CRS-4194/(McPeek one movement)Tapestry GD-7377

Paul Brodie Plays Alto and Soprano Saxophone: Hindemith - Gershwin - Klein - et al. Kubalek piano. 1973. Golden Crest RE-7056

Paul Brodie Plays Sopranino and Soprano Saxophone: Glick - Telemann - Vrana - Handel. Kubalek piano. 1973. Golden Crest RE-7049

Paul Brodie Salutes Olde Tyme Fiddle Music. 1984. Truly Fine ATF-015

The Paul Brodie Tour to China. 1990. China Records CR-8081

Paul Brodie with Eric Robertson: Bach - Mozart et al. Robertson organ. 1987. Truly Fine ATF-019

A Saxophone Concert: Heiden - Kreisler - Rachmaninoff - Glick. Schechter piano. 1969. Golden Crest RE-7090

The Saxophone in Concert: Bach - Bozza - et al. Brough piano. 1964. Cap W-6066

Soprano Saxophone and Harp: Bach - Schumann - et al. Goodman harp. 1987. Truly Fine TF-020 (CD)

Tcherepnin - Debussy - et al. Brough piano. 1968. Golden Crest RE-7028

Three For All: Beethoven - Osborne - et al. Campbell clarinet, McKay bassoon. 1982. Golden Crest CRS-4127

Unaccompanied Saxophone: Britten - Debussy - Bach - Londeix. 1977. Golden Crest RE-7071

THE PAUL BRODIE QUARTET

Paul Brodie Saxophone Quartet: Dubois - Glazounov - et al. 1974. Golden Crest CRS-4131

The Paul Brodie Saxophone Quartet in Concert: Rimsky-Korsakov - Wiedoeft - McPeek Audubon Suite - Debussy - Jacob. 1977. Golden Crest CRSQ-4164

The Paul Brodie Saxophone Quartet on Tour: Scarlatti - Boccherini - et al. 1976. Golden Crest CRSQ-4154

A Recital with the Paul Brodie Saxophone Quartet: Pierné - Bach - et al. 1975. Golden Crest CRS-4143

Also, educational and instructional records, including 4 in the Music Minus One series with Kubalek piano (1973, MMO-8021, 8023, 8025, 8027), and a 1968 Clinician Album Golden Crest CR-1010. In 1985 Brodie, in a concert with the Huntsville Town Band, recorded a tribute to the Anglo-Canadian Leather Co Band (Forester Press, cass)

Bibliography

'The saxophone in concert,' Jeunesses musicales of Canada, Jun 1964

Schulman, Michael. 'Brodie's saxophone: triumph through joy,' Performing Arts in Canada, vol 13, Spring 1976

Fetherling, Doug. 'Sax appeal,' The Canadian, 27 Aug 1977

Gilmour, Clyde. 'The joy of saxophone,' City and Country Home, vol 3, Dec 1984

Gibson, David J. 'Paul Brodie,' Saxophone Journal, vol 11, Fall 1986

Littler, William. 'Chinese just love saxophone king,' Toronto Star, 21 Jun 1990

Links to Other Sites
Honouring Canadians
Search this site for brief biogarphies of recipients of honours and awards presented by the Governor General of Canada.

Paul Brody
The website for Paul Brody, trumpet player, composer, and arranger.

Paul Brody's Sadawi
View a video of Paul Brody performing on stage with Christian Dawid, Brandon Seabrook, Eric Rosenthal, and Martin Lillich. From YouTube.

Lothar Klein
This page profiles composer Lothar Klein and offers music clips featuring Paul Brodie on soprano sax.

Paul Brody’s Sadawi
The Myspace for Paul Brody’s Sadawi - features music clips and more.