Marcel Mule facts for kids

Marcel Mule (born June 24, 1901 – died December 18, 2001) was a very famous French classical saxophonist. He was known around the world as one of the greatest classical saxophone players. Many music pieces were written especially for him, first played by him, and arranged by him. These pieces are now important parts of the classical saxophone music collection. People see him as the founder of the French Saxophone School and the most important saxophone soloist of his time. He played a huge role in making the saxophone what it is today.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Marcel Mule was born in a village called Aube in France. His father learned the saxophone during his time in the military and later became the leader of a brass band. At that time, it was hard to find saxophone teachers in Paris. So, learning from brass bands was often the only way.

Marcel's father introduced him to the saxophone when he was eight years old. He also learned to play the violin and piano. His father taught him to play with a "straight" sound, meaning without any vibrato, which was common back then.

Even though Marcel was very talented, his father suggested he become a teacher. Being a musician was not easy then. So, Marcel went to a teaching school and got his diploma after three years. He taught for only six months before he had to join the military.

Joining the Garde Républicaine

During World War I, Marcel went to Paris to serve in the Fifth Infantry. In 1921, he started playing music again in his regiment's military band. While in Paris, he also continued studying harmony, piano, and violin.

Marcel's music career really took off after his military service. In 1923, he passed an exam to join the Garde Républicaine's band, called La Musique de la Garde Républicaine. This gave him a steady job. He became known for his beautiful sound and became the saxophone soloist in the Garde. This led to him being asked to play with orchestras and even in the orchestra of the Opéra-Comique.

At first, Marcel played with a straight sound, like others did. But he also played with modern dance bands. There, he heard American jazz bands using vibrato. This inspired him to try out and create his own special classical saxophone vibrato.

In 1927, Mule started a saxophone quartet with other members of the Garde. It was first called the Quatuor de la Garde Républicaine. At the beginning, there wasn't much music for saxophone quartets. So, Mule arranged music from famous composers like Albéniz and Mozart. His new group quickly became very popular. Because of this, important composers like Gabriel Pierné, Florent Schmitt, and Alexander Glazunov started writing new music for the saxophone quartet. This helped the saxophone quartet become a well-known and lasting type of musical group.

A Golden Age for the Saxophone

In 1936, Marcel Mule left the Garde to focus on performing and composing, especially with concerts abroad. His quartet changed its name to Quatuor de Saxophones de Paris, but people soon just called it the Quatuor Marcel Mule. The group performed in many concerts across France, Belgium, Holland, England, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and North Africa. This was a time of hard work, which helped him show how noble and musical the saxophone could truly be.

In 1944, Claude Delvincourt, who was the director of the Paris Conservatoire, brought back the saxophone class. This class had been stopped when Adolphe Sax left in 1870. Delvincourt gave the teaching job to Marcel Mule, who was 43 years old and highly respected. During his years at the Conservatoire, Mule taught over 300 students. Many of them became famous saxophone performers and teachers themselves.

Marcel Mule's career reached its peak in 1958. He went on a twelve-concert tour in the United States with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He played Jacques Ibert's Concertino da Camera and Henri Tomasi's Ballade.

Journalists praised Mule greatly. Louis Leopold Biancolli, a New York journalist, called him the "Rubinstein of the saxophone." Earlier, a French journalist had called him the "Paganini of the saxophone." In 1939, music critic Alfred Frankenstein wrote, "Marcel Mule is the Jascha Heifetz of the Saxophone." These nicknames show how amazing people thought his playing was.

Marcel Mule as a Teacher

Marcel Mule believed that good sound quality depends on four things:

• A strong but gentle embouchure (how you shape your mouth on the mouthpiece).
• Accurate and good quality of emission (how you release air).
• Mastering breathing, which is needed to keep the air flowing steadily.
• Mastering vibrato, which adds expression to the sound.

Mule's teaching methods followed these ideas:

• Breathing: He taught students to breathe in a relaxed way through the mouth, using the diaphragm. This helps players feel more confident and calm when performing.
• The Embouchure: He taught how to place the lower lip over the lower teeth on the mouthpiece, with the upper teeth on top. The embouchure needed to be firm but relaxed. He also taught that different notes on the saxophone should be made with small changes in the mouth and throat.
• The tonguing: He taught students to use the syllable "DA" to start notes clearly.
• The Intonation: The saxophone isn't always perfectly in tune. So, players need to develop a very good ear for tuning. To change the tuning, players should use their throat and tongue, change the pressure from the lower lip, vary air pressure, and use special fingerings.
• The vibrato: Mule had clear ideas about how vibrato should be done. He gave specific exercises and taught the right speed. He said the correct speed was 300 waves per minute (5 per second). This means four waves per quarter note at a speed of 80 beats per minute. Vibrato is made by moving the jaw, which changes the pressure of the lower lip on the reed.
• Technique: This was based on playing scales and arpeggios, including how to connect notes smoothly (articulation).

All these methods are explained in detail in his books. Marcel Mule created a huge amount of teaching material for the saxophone, much more than had ever existed before.

Books by Marcel Mule

The books Marcel Mule wrote focused on technique (scales, arpeggios), articulation, and how to produce a good sound. Some of his study books include:

• 24 Easy Studies for All Saxophones after A. Samie, Leduc. These are good for second and third-year students.
• 30 Great Exercises or Studies (Trente Grands Exercices ou Études) for All Saxophones after Soussmann Book 1 and 2 by Marcel Mule. These are advanced exercises.
• 48 Studies by Ferling for All Saxophones by Marcel Mule. He edited these studies for oboe and added 12 more.
• 53 Studies for All Saxophones Book 1, 2 and 3 by Marcel Mule.
• Daily Exercises (Exercices Journaliers) for All Saxophones after Terschak by Marcel Mule. These are technical exercises for intermediate and advanced students.
• Scales and Arpeggios, Fundamental Exercises for the Saxophone Book 1, 2 and 3 by Marcel Mule. This book covers scales, arpeggios, and chords.
• Varied Studies (Études Variées) in All Keys adapted by Marcel Mule. These are 30 studies by different composers for advanced intermediate players.
• 18 Exercices ou Études d'après Berbiguier, by M. Mule, Leduc.
• Pièces Célèbres Volume 1, 2 and 3, by M. Mule, Leduc.
• Tablature de la gamme chromatique, by M. Mule, Leduc.

Retirement and Later Years

In 1967, Marcel Mule retired to a house near the Mediterranean Sea. He took his saxophone with him, but he never played it again. He felt it was time for new generations to take over.

On June 24, 2001, many of his friends and former students gathered to celebrate his 100th birthday. People came from France, Spain, Canada, and the United States. In October 2001, the Faculty of Music at the University of Laval in Canada also honored him.

Just over a month after the visit to Laval, Marcel Mule passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 100.

Marcel Mule's Lasting Impact

Marcel Mule is known around the world as a modern master of the classical saxophone. He is seen as a musical heir to Adolphe Sax, who invented the saxophone. His hard work in arranging and transcribing music was very important for creating a wide range of music for the instrument. His influence caught the attention of major composers like Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger, and Florent Schmitt. They then included the saxophone in their new musical works.

Many of the most important classical saxophone players learned from Mule. These include Frederick Hemke, Jean-Marie Londeix, Eugene Rousseau, Daniel Deffayet (who took over Mule's teaching position at the Paris Conservatoire in 1968), and Claude Delangle (who took over from Deffayet in 1988).

Marcel Mule was not only a brilliant performer but also an amazing teacher. He could take his playing ideas and explain them clearly to others. His deep character, warmth, and enthusiasm made his colleagues and students like and respect him. He made huge contributions to making the saxophone a respected instrument for musical expression.

Recordings

Marcel Mule made many recordings during his career, mostly on old 78RPM and 33RPM records. Some important ones include:

• His LP record from the 1930s, titled "Marcel Mule - 'Le Patron' of the Saxophone," which made classical saxophone famous worldwide.
• His recording of Jacques Ibert's Concertino da camera, made in 1947.

Books About Marcel Mule

• Eugene Rousseau, Marcel Mule, his life and the saxophone, Shell Lake, Wisconsin, 1982, [1]
• Jean-Pierre Thiollet, Sax, Mule & Co, H & D, Paris, 2004 ISBN: 2-914266-03-0

See also

In Spanish: Marcel Mule para niños