The Vienna Symphonic Library team has announced the release of two brand new Vienna Instruments Collections, Saxophones and Elements. These two new products are the first of many upcoming releases to complement the existing 10 Collections of the Symphonic Cube.

The Vienna Instruments Saxophones Collection includes five instruments: Soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass saxophone, with a total of over 35 GB of samples in 24bit/44.1kHz. The focus has been directed equally to orchestral settings as well as to jazz. Famous examples of orchestral works using these instruments include the saxophone quartet by Alexander Glasunow, the alto saxophone concerts by Glasunow and Debussy, and the Castello from Mussorgsky’s “Pictures”. In addition, a host of articulations for jazz and big band are included, such as bends, tongue slaps, growling, screams, extended harmonics, key sounds, and more. Long and short downward ending phrases triggered as release samples have been added for heightened realism. Audio demos are available.

The Saxophones Collection retails for €395/$475 (Standard Library) and €345/$415 (Extended Library). The Extended Library is €175/$210 for users of the Horizon Series Saxophones I who have registered the Vienna Instruments Saxophones Standard Library.

Vienna Instruments Elements is a showcase for water, metal, glass, and stone, Elements is a major expansion on the well-known Horizon Series Glass & Stones edition. It offers new instruments such as the bass waterphone, an unusual, evocative instrument with a diameter of 14 inches. Its larger number of sounding rods, their increased length, the larger opening as well as the bigger resonating body with more water, furnish the musician with more unusual sonic possibilities and a wider variety of colors than the conventional waterphone. The oversized tam-tam, with a diameter of more than 65 inches, was treated with all the tricks of the trade, with a special nod to Stockhausen’s opus “Mikrophonie” and others. It was struck with metal rods, cardboard and jigsaw blades, hit and rubbed with chains, and manhandled with fly swatters, an egg cutter, and even a massaging rod. The bottles contained herein are blown – with articulations such as sustains and flutter tonguing.

The 18 GB Elements Collection also features glass bells, musical glasses, a glass harmonica, a verrophone and a 5-octave lithophone.

It retails for €295/$355 (Standard Library) and €195/$235 (Extended Library). For users of the Horizon Series Glass & Stones who have registered the Vienna Instruments Elements Standard Library the Extended Library is available for a handling fee of €35/$45.