The soprillo, also known as the piccolo saxophone or rarely sopranissimo saxophone, is the highest pitched and smallest saxophone. The soprillo was developed as a piccolo extension to the saxophone family in the late 1990s by the Germany instrument maker Benedikt Eppelsheim, although a working prototype sopranissimo of the same pitch was made in 1960 in a more compact curved form.
The soprillo is pitched in B♭, one octave above the soprano saxophone, and half its length at including the mouthpiece.
History
Adolphe Sax's 1846 patent for the
saxophone specified a family of saxophones in several sizes and pitches, ranging from the giant subcontrabass bourdon in B♭ to the sopranino saxophone aigu in E♭ or F. The concept of another size of saxophone, even smaller and higher than the sopranino, was described in method books published in the same year, before many of the different sizes of saxophone were first built. The 1846 saxophone methods by and Jean-Georges Kastner both provide transposition charts for seven sizes, starting with the saxophone sur aigu in C and B♭ an octave or minor seventh above concert pitch (while omitting the
tenor saxophone size, and either the
alto saxophone or baritone size).
The first playable piccolo instrument was a prototype sopranissimo saxophone built in 1960, in B♭ a perfect fifth higher than the sopranino. Hand-made by the Brussels-based maker Robert van Linthout in the familiar curved form that turns the bell through 180° to point upwards, it measured barely long.
In the late 1990s, the German instrument maker Benedikt Eppelsheim created a Piccolo-Saxophon (), also pitched in B♭, in the longer soprano-like straight form, which he called the soprillo.
Construction
The soprillo is pitched in B♭ and is the smallest saxophone, at long including the mouthpiece.
The mouthpiece is non-removable, and the ligature, integrated into the instrument, is designed to fit the small reeds for the sopranino
E-flat clarinet.
Compared to a soprano saxophone, the soprillo is pitched one octave higher and is half its length.
the Eppelsheim soprillo is the only piccolo-sized saxophone manufactured.
Performance and repertoire
The soprillo is difficult to play, especially in the high register. The small size of both the mouthpiece and the reed requires a strong
embouchure, but also makes the soprillo easily accessible to players experienced with E♭ clarinet or sopranino saxophone.
There is very little music written explicitly for the soprillo, given its short history and extremely high pitch. The British saxophonist Nigel Wood wrote and commissioned several solo soprillo works, performing and recording them for his 2008 CD,
Soprillogy.
Saxophonists
Vinny Golia, Jay C. Easton and Attilio Berni also perform and record on soprillo.
External links
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Eppelsheim's Soprillo page (includes audio clips)
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Nigel Wood Music (further information about the soprillo)
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, with Attilio Berni playing solos on the soprillo and subcontrabass saxophone. Museo del Saxofono, Maccarese, Italy (2020)
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, described in detail by Jim Cheek from London's Sax Shop. (2022)
