Double Bass Music

[lowendall]

Aside from perhaps some obvious reasons, there are some technical reasons why the repertoire for double bass music is rather limited. While many of the most popular double bass concertos are from the Classical era, there are also some technical challenges when it comes to performing those on modern double basses. Wikipedia can explain this better than Klassik can so Klassik will link to Wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_bass_concerto#Challenges

With that said, Klassik will share works from a few albums from Klassik's collection. The first will be a relatively recent album put out in the last five years or so from Deutsche Grammophon. It is performed by double bassist Ödön Rácz. Rácz is one of the bigger names in classical double bass here in recent times. The album features three works from three of the biggest names in double bass music. One is one of the greatest names in classical music period, Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. xD Dittersdorf was the teacher of the next composer, Jan Křtitel Vaňhal. Vaňhal and Dittersdorf are both very much associated with the Viennese Classical era and performed string quartets with Mozart and J. Haydn. The final composer is the name perhaps most associated with double bass music, the Italian Romantic era composer Giovanni Bottesini. Dittersdorf and Bottesini both had multiple double bass concerti, but the Rácz disc in question only offers one each on the disc in addition to the Vaňhal concerto, but this is a great introduction to all of their works.

Klassik will post one movement from each concerto here:

Vanhal: Concerto in D major for Double-bass and Orchestra - 1. Allegro Moderato



Perhaps this thread will help Wigwammers enjoy double bass music. Perhaps it won't. xD

Hi nice video so I am a double bass and cello teacher in Fife schools ( 30 years service) but also classical trained ,well I went to the northern college of music in mid 1980s . Anyway also perhaps check out Garry karr ,Burt turtsky and in the UK previous leader of London symphony in bass section sadly passed away a while ago . Also Leon bosh on meridian recordings he has just released a great cd .solo . Enjoy . Also principle of concert gerbowen bass player British but great player . I like a bit of jazz . As well rich

 

[lowendall]

Klassik lost confidence in the French while composing the OP. The shenanigans pulled by Édouard Nanny were enough to make Klassik not want to post any additional French works.

Although the double bass doesn't get much credit for being a lyrical instrument like the violin, for example, there are some fairly lyrical works for the double bass in the works Klassik posted above. The slow movement of the Nanny/Dragonetti work is probably the best example of this.

For those wanting some vocals instead of double bass lyricism, , here is a Mozart aria, Per questa bella mano, K. 612, for bass (vocal), orchestra, and double bass obbligato. Le Baron might be abhorred by this. xD

 

[lowendall]

There is a video somewher a bassist singing this whilst same time playing the bass part ,bonkers talent I hope you can find it rich

 

[lowendall]

There is a video somewher a bassist singing this whilst same time playing the bass part ,bonkers talent I hope you can find it rich

Scottish ensemble just last weekend recorded a solo bassist Edgar Mayer out soon cd