Sax most commonly refers to the saxophone, a single-reed woodwind instrument invented by Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s (patented 1846).[1] It is characterized by a conical bore, typically constructed from brass, and used in jazz, classical, and other music genres.Sax may also refer to other people, places, and concepts; see the sections below for details.
Musical Instruments
Saxophone
The saxophone is a single-reed woodwind instrument characterized by its conical bore and brass construction, blending the tonal qualities of woodwinds with the durability of brass instruments.[2][3] It produces sound when air is blown through a vibrating cane reed attached to a mouthpiece, with keys facilitating fingerings across its range.[4]Invented by Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s, the saxophone was designed to bridge the gap between woodwind and brass sections in military bands, featuring a parabolic conical bore and a single reed mouthpiece inspired by clarinet and flute mechanisms.[5] Sax patented a family of eight saxophones on March 21, 1846, in Paris (Patent No. 3226), ranging from soprano to bass models tuned in B♭ and E♭ to cover multiple registers for orchestral and band use.[5] The instrument's core components include a curved body with tone holes and keys, a detachable neck, a beak-shaped mouthpiece, a thin cane reed secured by a ligature, and often brass material with optional silver or gold plating for enhanced tone and appearance.[2]The most common types are the soprano (B♭, high-pitched for melodic lines), alto (E♭, versatile for beginners and jazz solos), tenor (B♭, prominent in big bands and improvisation), and baritone (E♭, providing deep bass support), with rarer variants like the bass (B♭) and contrabass saxophones used for extended low-range ensembles.[6] Initially adopted in Frenchmilitary bands by 1845 following a pivotal public demonstration, the saxophone became standardized in infantry units by 1854, valued for its powerful projection and blend with brass. Its role expanded into jazz during the 1920s, particularly in New Orleans ensembles where it drove improvisational expression, and later into classical music through composers like Bizet (1872) and Britten (1940s), gaining orchestral acceptance post-1920s via works such as Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue (1924).[7]Culturally, the saxophone's adoption transformed musical genres, from military marches to jazz innovation by figures like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, who elevated its expressive potential in the mid-20th century, and into modern rock and pop for emotive solos.[7] Despite initial resistance in classical circles, its versatility fostered widespread use in concert bands and ensembles by the late 19th century, particularly in the U.S. after 1885.
Seax
The seax, often abbreviated as "sax," was a single-edged knife or short sword characteristic of Germanic tribes, including the Anglo-Saxons, during the Migration Period and Early Middle Ages, spanning roughly the 5th to 11th centuries. The term originates from the Old English seax, denoting a knife or dagger, a word rooted in Proto-Germanic *sahsą and reflected in similar terms across Germanic languages for cutting tools.[8] This weapon-tool hybrid emerged among continental Germanic peoples before becoming prominent in Anglo-Saxon England following the 5th-century migrations.[9][10]Design variations of the seax reflected its multifunctional use, with blades typically forged from iron or pattern-welded steel and fitted with handles of bone, wood, or antler secured by rivets. A distinctive form is the broken-back style, where the blade back features a sharp angle near the point, enhancing chopping and thrusting capabilities; this variant is particularly associated with insular Anglo-Saxon production from the 8th century onward. Blade lengths varied widely: short seaxes measured around 20-30 cm, suitable for utility tasks, while long seaxes exceeded 70 cm, functioning more as short swords. Archaeologists classify them into broad categories such as narrow-bladed (long and slender, like the Battersea type) and broad-bladed (shorter and wider, like the Sittingbourne type), based on 7th- to 10th-century finds.[9][11]In Anglo-Saxon society, the seax served as an everyday tool for cutting and crafting, a practical weapon in close combat, and a status symbol denoting free manhood, often worn suspended from a belt or baldric. Its cultural significance is evident in grave goods, where seaxes were frequently interred with male burials to accompany the deceased into the afterlife, as seen in Migration Period cemeteries across England and the continent. High-status examples, sometimes inlaid with silver wire or runes, suggest ritual or protective roles, underscoring their integration into warrior identity and daily life.[9]Archaeological evidence for the seax abounds in Anglo-Saxon contexts, with early examples from 5th-century Frankish graves evolving into more standardized forms by the 7th century. Classified primarily by blade form and decoration, narrow-bladed types predominate in early deposits, while broad-bladed variants appear later, possibly linked to regional workshops. Notable finds include runic-inscribed seaxes from river deposits like the Thames, providing insights into literacy and craftsmanship. These artifacts, recovered from sites spanning the former Roman provinces, illustrate the seax's continuity from continental Germanic traditions into English material culture.[9]The seax's legacy extends etymologically, forming the root of "Saxon," the tribal name derived from the weapon's prominence among these groups, as noted in early historical accounts of their migrations and settlements. This linguistic connection highlights its role in ethnic identity. Modern knife-making traditions, particularly in custom and historical reproductions, draw inspiration from seax forms, perpetuating Germanic blade designs in contemporary craftsmanship.[12]
People
Inventors and Pioneers
Antoine-Joseph Adolphe Sax (1814–1894) was a Belgian instrument maker renowned for his innovations in brass and woodwind instruments. Born on November 6, 1814, in Dinant, Belgium, he was the eldest son of Charles-Joseph Sax, a skilled instrument builder who supplied instruments to the Dutch army.[13] Adolphe began assisting his father from a young age and studied at the Royal School of Singing in Brussels, where he received clarinet instruction and exhibited early talent in instrument design.[13] By 1835, he had patented a 24-valve bass clarinet, marking his entry into professional invention.[14] In the 1840s, Sax developed the saxhorn, a family of seven valved brass instruments in different sizes designed for improved tone and playability in military bands, and the saxotromba, a hybrid brass instrument combining trumpet and bugle features.[15] These inventions gained traction after Sax moved to Paris in 1842, where he established a workshop and secured a contract with the French army.[14]Sax's career was marred by persistent financial and legal challenges. He faced intense competition and imitation from rivals, leading to over 20 years of patent lawsuits that contributed to his bankruptcies in 1852, 1873, and 1877.[14] The expiration of his saxophone patent in 1865 allowed widespread copying, further eroding his market position, while the loss of military contracts following the 1848 revolution exacerbated his difficulties.[15] Despite support from Napoleon III, who intervened to prevent a fourth bankruptcy, Sax sold his personal instrument collection for 12,000 francs in 1877 to settle debts.[15] His health suffered from these stresses; between 1853 and 1858, he battled lip cancer but recovered after treatment.[16] Sax died on February 7, 1894, in Paris, from pneumonia, leaving his workshop in poverty and his legacy to be carried forward by his son Adolphe-Edouard.[13]Karl Sax (1892–1973) was an American botanist and geneticist whose work advanced plant breeding and radiation cytology. Born on November 2, 1892, in Spokane, Washington, to educator William L. Sax and botanist Minnie A. Sax, he earned a B.S. from Washington State College in 1916, followed by an M.S. in 1917 and a D.Sc. in 1922 from Harvard University.[17] Early in his career, Sax served as an instructor in genetics at the University of California, Berkeley, and as a plant breeder at the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station from 1920 to 1928.[17] He joined Harvard's Bussey Institution in 1928 as an associate professor of plant cytology, becoming a full professor in 1936 and director of the Arnold Arboretum from 1947 to 1954.[17] Sax retired in 1959 but continued research and lecturing until his death on October 8, 1973, in Media, Pennsylvania.[17]Sax's contributions to plant breeding emphasized hybridization and cytogenetics to develop superior ornamental and fruit varieties. Collaborating with students, he created hybrids such as the 'Hally Jolivette' flowering cherry (Prunus × 'Hally Jolivette') and the 'Arnold Giant' forsythia, which improved bloom duration and tree compatibility for horticultural use.[17] His techniques advanced dwarfing in fruit trees, enhancing rootstock-scion compatibility and nursery propagation.[17] In radiation cytology, Sax pioneered studies on X-ray effects on chromosomes using Tradescantia microspores, publishing a seminal 1938 paper demonstrating that radiation induced specific chromosome aberrations, laying groundwork for targettheory in radiobiology.[17] This work, expanded through collaborations, elucidated breakage-and-reunion mechanisms in chromosome damage and influenced mutagenesis research.[18] Sax mentored over 30 graduate students, fostering a "Sax School" in radiobiology, and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1941.[17]Hally Jolivette Sax (1884–1979) was an American botanist specializing in plant genetics and cytology, known for her research on conifer chromosomes. Born Hally Jolivette in 1884, she earned advanced degrees in botany and married Karl Sax in 1916, becoming his lifelong research collaborator at institutions including the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard's Arnold Arboretum.[19] Together, they contributed to cytogenetic studies, with Hally focusing on chromosome behavior in forest trees; her 1932 publications included analyses of chromosome pairing in Larix species and chiasma formation in Larix and Tsuga, providing insights into meiotic processes and species relationships.[19]Sax's work extended to plant pathology and ornamental horticulture, where she investigated propagation fidelity in genera like Cotoneaster, confirming that most species bred true from seed despite mixed origins, aiding landscape selection.[20] Her genetic research complemented her husband's, contributing to hybrid development at the Arnold Arboretum, including the naming of Prunus 'Hally Jolivette' in her honor—a semidouble white-flowered cherry hybrid valued for extended bloom.[20] In botanical nomenclature, the standard author abbreviation "Sax" denotes her contributions alongside her husband's in citing plant names.[19] She passed away in 1979, leaving a legacy in conifer genetics and collaborative plantscience.[20]
Musicians and Artists
Sax Mallard (1915–1986), born Oett Mallard in Chicago, Illinois, was a prominent Americanjazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist and bandleader active in the city's vibrant music scene during the mid-20th century.[21] Primarily known for his alto saxophone work, he began his career in the 1930s and gained recognition in the 1940s through stints with ensembles led by saxophonist Guy Walters and trumpeter Clarence Dorsey.[22] In 1943, Mallard briefly joined Duke Ellington's orchestra and octet, contributing to recordings that showcased his versatile style blending jazz improvisation with blues influences.[23] By the late 1940s, he formed his own group, the Sax Mallard Quartet, and became a sought-after session musician for labels like Aristocrat (later Chess), where he backed blues legends such as Muddy Waters on tracks like "You're Gonna Need My Help" and collaborated with artists including Big Bill Broonzy, Roosevelt Sykes, and Tampa Red.[24][25] His recordings, including singles like "Honkin' Sax" (1952) and albums such as In Session: The Mojo 1946-1954, highlighted his energetic honking tenor saxophone in the postwar Chicago blues and jump blues traditions, influencing the transition from swing to rhythm and blues.[26]Lincoln Thompson (1949–1999), better known by his stage name "Sax," was a Jamaican roots reggae singer, songwriter, and bandleader who pioneered the integration of harmonious vocal arrangements with Rastafarian themes in the genre.[27] Born in Jones Town, Kingston, he started his musical journey in 1967 as a harmony singer with The Tartans alongside Cedric Myton, releasing singles like "Far Beyond the Sun" before forming The Royal Rasses in the early 1970s.[28] As leader of The Royal Rasses—a vocal group emphasizing spiritual and social messages—Thompson recorded for Studio One, producing innovative tracks that blended rocksteady, early reggae, and dub elements, such as the singles "People Love Jah Music" (1974) and "Dread Dream" (1975).[29] His contributions elevated roots reggae by incorporating lush, falsetto-led harmonies inspired by Rastafari principles, as heard in key albums like Natural Wild (1978), featuring songs such as "Natural Wild" and "Dread Dream," and Experience (1979), with tracks like "Spaceship" and "True Experience."[30] Later works, including Humanity (1982) and Ride with the Rasses (1982), further showcased his songwriting prowess and commitment to conscious lyrics, cementing his legacy in the UK and Jamaican reggae diaspora until his death in London.[31][32]In contemporary music, Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer (born 1969) stands out as a globally recognized artist whose alto saxophone prowess has bridged jazz, funk, and pop since the 1980s.[33] Daughter of jazz saxophonist Hans Dulfer, she rose to fame with the hit instrumental "Lily Was Here" (1989) alongside Dave Stewart, which topped charts across Europe and introduced her energetic, melodic style to mainstream audiences.[34] Dulfer's collaborations with icons like Prince on albums such as Graffiti Bridge (1990) and her solo debut Saxuality (1990)—nominated for a Grammy—demonstrate her ability to fuse improvisation with accessible grooves, influencing modern saxophone performance in diverse genres.[35] Recent projects, including For the Love of You (2022), continue to highlight her enduring impact through live tours and recordings that emphasize joyful, saxophone-driven expression.[36]
Authors and Other Figures
Sax Rohmer, born Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward on February 15, 1883, in Birmingham, England, and died on June 1, 1959, in White Plains, New York, was a prolific British novelist known for his contributions to pulp fiction and the espionage genre.[37] Under the pseudonym Sax Rohmer, he authored over 100 works, including short stories, novels, and plays, with his most famous creation being the sinister Chinese criminal mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu, introduced in the 1913 novel The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu.[38] The Fu Manchu series, spanning 13 novels and numerous short stories, profoundly influenced the thriller and spy fiction genres, popularizing the "Yellow Peril" trope and inspiring adaptations in film, radio, and comics, though later criticized for racial stereotypes.[39]Leonard Sax, born in March 1960 in Shaker Heights, Ohio, is an American psychologist, family physician, and author specializing in gender differences, child development, and education.[40] Holding a BS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (graduated 1982), an MD, and a PhD in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania (both 1989), Sax completed a residency in family medicine and has maintained a private practice in West Chester, Pennsylvania, since 1990.[41] His seminal book Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know about the Emerging Science of Sex Differences (2005) draws on neuroscientific research to argue for sex-specific approaches in education and parenting, challenging assumptions of gender similarity and advocating for single-sex schooling in certain contexts.[42] Subsequent works, including Boys Adrift (2007) and The Collapse of Parenting (2016, New York Times bestseller), explore factors like video games and diminished parental authority contributing to youth disengagement, backed by his clinical observations and psychological studies.[42]The surname Sax derives primarily from the German Sachs, an ethnic name meaning "Saxon," referring to the ancient Germanic tribe, and is common among Ashkenazi Jewish and German communities in Europe and North America.[43] It occasionally appears as a variant in Flemish, Dutch, or English contexts, linked to Old Norse or Middle English personal names denoting "Saxon" heritage.[44]
Sax is a municipality located in the province of Alicante, within the Valencian Community of Spain, situated in the comarca of Alt Vinalopó.[45] The town covers an area of approximately 63.5 square kilometers and had a population of 10,185 inhabitants as of 2024, reflecting a stable demographic in the region with a density of about 160 people per square kilometer.[46] Its economy is primarily driven by agriculture, including the cultivation of olives, almonds, and grapes, alongside growing tourism centered on its historical landmarks.[47]The history of Sax is closely tied to its prominent Moorish castle, known as the Castillo de Sax or "Farol del Vinalopó," which dominates the town's skyline atop a rocky outcrop.[48] The castle dates back to the Islamic period, with origins in the 10th century during the settlement of the area by Muslim populations, and features elements from the Almohad era in the 12th century.[49] It was conquered by the Crown of Aragon in 1239 and later ceded to the Crown of Castile under the Treaty of Almizra in 1244, subsequently passing to the Order of Calatrava before becoming part of the Lordship of Villena in the 14th century.[48] Archaeological evidence suggests earlier Roman influences at the site, underscoring Sax's strategic importance along historical trade and defense routes in the Vinalopó Valley. Today, the castle serves as a major tourist attraction, offering panoramic views and hosting cultural events that bolster the local economy.[50]In Switzerland, Sax refers to a small village within the municipality of Sennwald in the canton of St. Gallen, part of the Werdenberg district along the Alpine Rhine Valley.[51] The broader Sennwald municipality has a population of 6,256 residents as of December 31, 2024, with Sax itself comprising 969 inhabitants, integrated into the area's landscape of 151 people per square kilometer.[52] The village is characterized by its serene, mountainous setting, supporting traditional agriculture and forestry activities amid local folklore tied to its medieval heritage.[53]Sax's historical significance stems from the Barons of Sax, a noble family that ruled the Lordship of Sax-Forstegg for approximately 500 years starting around 1200, controlling territories including Sennwald and nearby Altstätten.[54] The ruins of Hohensax Castle, built circa 1200 by the barons, overlook the village and were destroyed in 1446 during regional conflicts; the site passed to the Habsburgs in 1490 and remains a symbol of the area's feudal past.[54] Today, Sax maintains a quiet, rural profile with minimal modern development, preserving its folklore-rich environment through hiking trails and historical markers that attract regional visitors.[55]
Astronomical Bodies
3534 Sax is a main-belt asteroid, provisionally designated 1936 XA upon its discovery on December 15, 1936, by Belgian astronomer Eugène Joseph Delporte at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle.[56] The naming honors Adolphe Sax (1814–1894), the Belgian instrument maker renowned for inventing the saxophone, reflecting a tradition of commemorating notable figures through minor planet nomenclature.With an estimated diameter of 9.0 km based on infrared observations, 3534 Sax exhibits a stony composition typical of S-type asteroids in the main belt.[56] Its rotation period is 6.221 hours, determined through photometric lightcurve analysis conducted in 2009–2010 at the Schiaparelli Observatory. Orbiting at a semi-major axis of 2.75 AU with an eccentricity of 0.19 and inclination of 13.5°, the asteroid completes one revolution around the Sun every 4.57 years, placing it in the outer portion of the main asteroid belt.[56]As of 2025, no other significant celestial objects—such as comets, craters, or exoplanets—bear the name "Sax" in official astronomical catalogs.
Other Uses
Computing and Technology
In computing, SAX, or Simple API for XML, is an event-based interface for parsing XML documents that processes data sequentially without building an in-memory tree structure.[57] Introduced in 1998 by David Megginson through coordination on the XML-DEV mailing list, SAX enables efficient handling of large XML files by generating events as the parser reads the document from start to finish, in contrast to the Document Object Model (DOM), which loads the entire document into memory.[58] Key methods in the core ContentHandler interface include startElement, invoked when an opening tag is encountered, and endElement, called for closing tags, allowing applications to respond to structural changes in real time.[59]SAX implementations are available in major programming languages, facilitating its use in data processing pipelines. In Java, the javax.xml.parsers.SAXParser class from the Java API for XML Processing (JAXP) wraps an underlying XMLReader to parse inputs like files or streams, integrating seamlessly with event handlers for custom logic.[60] Python's standard library includes the xml.sax module, which provides SAX 2 readers, handlers, and utilities for event-driven parsing, often used via subclasses of ContentHandler to extract or transform data.[61] These implementations emphasize memory efficiency, as SAX streams data without retaining the full document, making it ideal for processing big data scenarios like log files or API responses exceeding gigabytes in size, where DOM would consume excessive resources.[62]The API evolved with SAX 2.0, released in January 2002, which deprecated earlier interfaces and introduced enhancements such as native support for XML namespaces via methods like startPrefixMapping and endPrefixMapping in ContentHandler, along with improved configurability through XMLReader features.[63] This version added adapters for backward compatibility and lexical handlers for processing comments and CDATA sections, broadening its applicability.[64] In the 2020s, SAX remains relevant for web services and APIs, particularly in high-throughput environments like microservices or data feeds, where its low-overhead streaming model supports efficient XML ingestion without the latency of full-document loading, as seen in modern tools like high-performance Go parsers.[65]
Literature and Media
Doctor Sax is a 1959 novel by Jack Kerouac, published by Grove Press, that forms part of his Duluoz Legend series of semi-autobiographical works.[66] The narrative centers on the childhood experiences of protagonist Jack Duluoz in Lowell, Massachusetts, blending everyday memories with fantastical elements, including the enigmatic figure of Doctor Sax, a mysterious saxophonist who battles supernatural shadows and the mythical Great World Snake threatening the town.[67] Kerouac's stream-of-consciousness style in the book explores themes of innocence, mysticism, and the passage from childhood to adulthood, drawing heavily from his own early life.[68]In music, "Sax" stands out as a 2015 debut single by English singer-songwriter Fleur East, released from her album Love, Sax and Flashbacks.[69] The track blends dance-pop, funk, hip-hop, and soul elements, featuring prominent saxophone hooks alongside brass instrumentation that drive its upbeat, energetic rhythm.[70] Lyrically, it portrays a flirtatious encounter with a confident suitor, using the saxophone motif as a metaphor for passion and allure, and it achieved commercial success by peaking at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.[69]
Titles, Languages, and Miscellaneous
The title of Baron of Sax refers to a medieval Swiss noble lineage originating in the 13th century, associated with the House of Sax in eastern Switzerland. The family, known as the Freiherren von Sax, constructed Hohensax Castle around 1206 under Heinrich II von Sax, with the site first documented as Burg Sax in 1210. This baronial title was linked to estates and fortifications across the Alps, including control over villages like Gams and Sax. The lineage evolved into the Sax-Hohensax branch, founded by Ulrich von Sax in 1248, who inherited the castle and expanded the family's influence in the region near the modern cantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell. The castle was destroyed in 1446 during the Old Zürich War by forces from Appenzell, marking a decline in the family's direct holdings, though descendants like Maria von der Hohen-Sax continued to hold noble status into the 17th century through marriages with other prominent Swiss families.[71][72]In linguistics, "Sax" historically denotes Old Saxon, the West Germanic dialect spoken by the Saxons from approximately the 8th to 12th centuries, serving as a foundational form of Low German dialects prevalent in what is now Lower Saxony, Germany. Old Saxon, documented in texts like the Heliand epic, evolved into Middle Low German and influenced regional vernaculars, with remnants in modern Low German (Plattdeutsch) spoken by an estimated 2-5 million people across northern Germany. Closely related is Saterland Frisian, the last surviving East Frisian language, assigned the ISO 639-3 code "stq" and spoken by approximately 2,000 people as of the 2020s primarily in the Saterland municipality of Lower Saxony. This endangered language, influenced by Low German and Dutch, preserves archaic features from its Saxon-adjacent roots and is actively documented through phonetic studies and revitalization efforts, including the introduction of bilingual German/Sater Frisian signage in primary schools in Saterland from 2023 to 2025.[73][74][75]Among miscellaneous uses, "Sax" serves as the standard author abbreviation in botanical nomenclature for Karl Sax (1892–1973), an American botanist and cytogeneticist known for his research on chromosome behavior in plants, particularly in species like Nicotiana and Crepis. This abbreviation appears in scientific names such as those in the International Plant Names Index, crediting his contributions to plant genetics and taxonomy. No significant new acronyms or brands named "Sax" in technology or consumer gadgets have emerged prominently in the 2020s, though niche references persist in historical and regional contexts.