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Alliage Quintet Availability
April 3 – 16, 2025
March 19 – 31, 2026
What the critics say:
“The four wind gentlemen showed themselves as sovereign virtuosos of their instruments with an infectious desire to create.”
— Frankfurter Allgemeine
“… cohesive blend, crystalline articulation, beguiling range of instrumental colours and deep understanding of musical structure.”
— The Australian
“Storms applause at the end of the night broughtthe musicians back for a rousing arrangement of America, another highlight of a special concert.
— Newcastle Herald
“The musical level of the Alliage is phenomenal and creates a listening pleasure par excellence.”
— Pizzicato
“ What they are really doing is fantastic pioneer work on their instrument. In the history of the violin, for example, it was Paganini that made the violin into what it is today. And I think we can say that the Alliage have accomplished something with their saxophones that nobody else to date has.”
— Joseph Lendavy
about the Alliage on WDR 3
“…verve and virtuosity”
— Deutschland Radio
“The Alliage Quintet was irresistible and immediately captivated the audience.”
˘ Stuttgartner Zeitung
“The ensemble dazzled in every respect at the highest level.”
— FonoForum
Winner Echo Klassic 2005, 2014
Sebastian Pottmeier | Miguel Valles Mateu | Jang Eun Bae
Daniel Gauthier | Simon Hamrath
alliage
saxophone quintet
In addition to several radio broadcasts, the ensemble has so far released seven CDs, its first, Una voce poco fa, received the renowned ECHO Klassik award in 2005. On their second CD, A la recherche du rêve perdu, the five musicians travelled back in time to Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, to confront his instrument with works of his contemporaries Mendelssohn and Schumann. Masquerade with arrangements of J. S. Bach and re-compositions of Vivaldi‘s Four Seasons was released on SONY Classical. Their Voyage Russe recording was released (SONY) with a musical focus on the “Belle Epoque Russe" and was accompanied by an extensive concert tour throughout Europe. The ensemble again won the renownedECHO Klassik award in 2014 for their fifth release Dancing Paris (SONY). In February 2016 their sixth CD, Fantasia, (SONY) was released with Sabine Meyer as guest, with works by Borodin, Stravinsky, Bernstein, Shostakovich, and Dukas.
Its latest recording, entitled Lost in Temptation, includes works by Saint Saens, Purcell’s Fairy Queen, and a 15-minute arrangement of theThree Penny Opera, again for Sony. New among its programs is “Belcanto” with one of Germany’s top hot tenors, Daniel Behle, and a program with German soprano Simone Kermes offering Songs and Chansons with the title “Je ne regrette rien.“
“When soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone melt together into a glowing ball of sound, it is as if the musicians have a lift off… and burst into another cosmos.”
— NRZ (Düsseldorf)
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“Alliage” is the most charming alloy of four saxophones and a piano. Unique to this ensemble, which has been awarded two Echo-Klassik prizes, is that the illusion of a large orchestra becomes reality. The melodic and expressive- sounding saxophones combine with the orchestral fullness of a piano to create a listening experience of the highest quality.
The quintet was founded by Daniel Gauthier, currently the only professor for classical saxophone in Germany (Hochschule für Musik, Cologne) and the ensemble‘s leader and soprano. He is joined by three of today’s best soloists on saxophone: Miguel Valles Mateu, alto; Simon Hamrath, tenor; and Sebastian Pottmeier, baritone.The quintet is completed by the Korean pianist Jang Eun Bae, an experienced and well-versed chamber musician.
Alliage’s core repertoire consists of well-known masterpieces of all epochs, cleverly arranged for the ensemble with exceptional sensitivity. Current programs include, e.g., Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mendelssohn'sA Midsummer Night's Dream, Rimski-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Carmen by Bizet and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. With its unique programs, the Alliage Quintet performs successfully while it straddles the fine line between subtle chamber music and sophisticated entertainment, and is able to fill the major concert halls and festivals throughout Germany and the rest of Europe in addition to concerts in Turkey, the United States, Canada, Korea and Australia, where they recently toured extensively with renowned clarinetist, Sabine Meyer. In June 2015, the quintet was given the honor of performing the opening concert at the World Saxophone Congress in Strasbourg, France.
More what the critics say:
“If you were ever inclined to believe that the saxophone is not a serious musical instrument, then the Alliage Quintett will rapidly dispel the idea.”
— Advertiser Adeleide
“[Sabine] Meyer and the quintet impressed with their cohesive blend, crystalline articulation, beguiling range or instrumental colours and deep understanding of musical structure.”
— The Australian
“Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Stravinsky’s Firebird, and Bordin’s Polovtsian Dances had the audience smiling as the concert evolved. Storms of applause at the end of the night brought the musicians back for a rousing arrangement of America, another highlight of a special concert.”
— Newcastle Herald
“They are exceptional players in every respect, with virtuosic technique, admirable ensemble skill and a notable range of tone colours…There were moments of reflection and charm, but more than anything there was a super abundance of life and energy.”
— Advertiser Adeleide
“ The musical level of the Alliage is phenomenal and creates a listening pleasure par excellence.”
— Pizzicato
“ What they are really doing is fantastic pioneer work on their instrument. In the history of the violin, for example, it was Paganini that made the violin into what it is today. And I think we can say that the Alliage have accomplished something with their saxophones that nobody else to date has.”
— Joseph Lendavy about the Alliage on WDR 3
“ The saxophonists managed not only to sound like an orchestra, but also like one instrument.”
— Schwäbische Post
“Four saxophonists and one pianist bring plenty of life to the Paris of the Belle Epoque…played with verve and virtuosity.”
— Deutschland Radio
“Romantic richness of sound, feathery rhythms, and enormous brilliance.”
— Waldecker Allgemeine
“The Alliage Quintet was irresistible and immediately captivated the audience.”
— Stuttgartner Zeitung
“The authenticity of the musical passion of the Alliage Quintet was unmistakable.”
— Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
“What the musicians brought forth in terms of opulent sound colors, in captivating oriental magic and infatuating sensual sounds had a fascinating storytelling power and the glory of the glittering saxophone and piano nuances. It was fantastic how the saxophone colors blended together and how the pianist played her part with a powerful touch.”
— Badische Zeitung
“The ensemble dazzled in every respect at the highest level.”
— FonoForum
“Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov was a master at instrumentation. Yet he did not like the brand-new saxophone. Perhaps the Russian romantic would have changed his mind in face of the performance of the Alliage Quintet?”
— Rondo
“True mastery—already the introduction to the evening turned into an emotional and intoxicating listening experience: powerful, with total commitment and orchestral opulence.”
— Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger
“The Alliage sounded truly like a small orchestra.”
— Münchener Merkur
“Operatic classics presented in a new guise: witty, moving and performed with mastery. Four fantastic saxophonists replace with ease an entire opera orchestra.”
— WDR3
“And if in the tuttis one was amazed about an almost symphonic sound, the musicians also adhered to voice leading principles, allowing them to produce from their instruments a variety of timbres that ranged from a velvety stalking flute to a brassy instrumental tone.”
— Kölnische Rundschau
“Here again though, the playing is stunning and the four saxophonists blend beautifully. Time and again one hears a passage written for other instruments and the players here make it sound as if it was meant to be played by four saxophones.”
— Musicweb.uk.net
"This is a very pleasant program. I have listened to it many times, both as "background" music and with my full attention, and recommend it to anyone who likes these works in their original guise."
— www.sa-cd.net
“…moments of pure delight.”
— Early Music America
“…quartet playing of a somewhat different type... simply brilliant playing, and also the Schumann unfolded… with a unique, in no way simply exotic, but lightly melancholy sounding charm.”
— Partituren
SACD "Their playing of both pieces is natural and idiomatic and you never feel that they are struggling to re-invent the music in its new guise."
— www.music-webinternational.com
"There is some stunning saxophone playing on the disc, and these arrangements can be pure fun, when the arranger is not taking things too seriously."
— www.musicweb.de
"A collection of highlights... entertaining, humorously written music with depth ... A fascinating, homogeneous sound culture, and a thrilling joy of music making turn the Alliage Quartet, that is this CD, into an experience.”
— Hessischer Rundfunk
"Let the heart of every opera fan beat faster... music lovers are almost hypnotically pulled along by the familiar melodies which are presented in completely unusual colors and with warmly felt emotions.”
— Rohrblatt
“Best of the opera literature.”
— Ensemble
“Sometimes four saxophones and one handful of catchy opera phases are enough to startle every opera curmudgeon…enjoyment and amazement .. one needed no tuxedo or opera glasses, just a good mood.”
— Rondo
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