問題詳情

閱讀測驗 41-43Michael Segell’s 2005 work on the history of the saxophone, titled The Devil’s Horn cites a publicstatement from the Vatican saying that the saxophone was “scandalous,” a strange description indeed fora lifeless piece of metal!It is fitting then that the saxophone has come to be associated with the rock and roll and jazz worlds.These musical styles were born in controversy and they have always attracted rebels andnonconformists – much like the saxophone. At the time of its invention, the saxophone was activelysuppressed by competition from other musical instrument makers. They attacked Adolph Sax, theinventor of the saxophone, constantly; stealing his equipment, burning down his factory and evenmaking attempts on his life. Perhaps their most successful tactic was to have the orchestral musiciansunion threaten a strike if the saxophone was accepted into regular orchestral ensembles. As a result ofthese tactics, the saxophone failed to find a firm foothold in the classical world. Although there have, ofcourse, been notable individual exceptions, such as the saxophone solo in Mussorgsky’s Pictures at anExhibition.Nonetheless, despite the opposition of the traditional musical world and of the church, thesaxophone continues to re-invent itself as an instrument for the modern age. Perhaps this is because Saxdreamed of making the most flexible of instruments. He wanted to combine the “power of the brass”instruments with the “flexibility of the strings” and the “tonal variety of the woodwinds”, and hesucceeded, perhaps even more so than he knew. Although the saxophone is still an outsider in theclassical world, it has come to be the most widespread and popular of the winds. It appears in virtuallyevery country and musical style all around the world. Turkish, Asian and Arabian musicians have allmade the instrument their own. Amusingly, the most powerful symbol of Sax’s eventual success comesfrom the classical world. When the trumpet part of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto number 2 proved to betoo difficult, the legendary saxophonist Marcel Mule stepped in and recorded it.
41. What is the main idea of the passage?
(A) The saxophone doesn’t belong in classical music.
(B) Adolph Sax failed in his dream.
(C) The saxophone is a flexible, successful invention.
(D) The saxophone is an unpleasant instrument.

參考答案

答案：C
難度：簡單0.7
統計：A(9),B(6),C(56),D(4),E(0)

內容推薦

內容推薦