If you would adopt a semiotic approach, what would you focus on in your analysis of your chosen object, the saxophone? What conclusions could you draw?
The saxophone
Semiotic focus:
- Examines how the saxophone functions as a sign that communicates cultural and symbolic meaning beyond its musical role.
- Analyses the relationship between its form and sound and the ideas and emotions it represents
Sound as meaning:
- Its warm, expressive tone mirrors the human voice, symbolising emotion, freedom, and self-expression.
- In performances by artists such as Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, the instrument signified spiritual depth and personal identity.
Cultural context:
- In the 1920s–30s, the saxophone symbolised urban modernity and African American creativity.
- Mid-century jazz linked it with intellectualism and transcendence (Coltrane era).
- In modern media, it evokes nostalgia and “authentic emotion.”
Famous saxophone artists
- Charlie parker
- Coleman Hawkins
- Coltrane, j
Conclusions:
- The saxophone functions as a multi-layered sign—of modernity, emotion, and cultural transformation
- Represents freedom, individuality, and innovation, both musically and symbolically.
- the saxophone helped transform jazz as a genre; compared to other brass instruments such as the French horn
CAD4016 Academic Journal 