# Double bass solo composers



## Naccio

Any double bass solo players? It is a very challenging feat i've heard...


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## Guest

I haven't heard them, but I believe it was Ustvolskaya (or was it Gubaidulina...) that had quite a few works for either solo double bass or prominently featuring double bass (ie double bass and piano).


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## Mandryka

There's a relly tremendous piece by Xenakis, called Theraps. Amazing music.


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## tdc

The word "double bass" I find confusing - does it not imply there is also just a "bass"? But since a double bass and bass are in fact the same instrument, I don't know why people refer to it as a "double bass".


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## Alypius

Two recommendations:

(1) Edgar Meyer (b.1960), a double-bassist and composer. He is best known for his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, and a host of bluegrass musicians (Chris Thile, Allison Krauss, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck). His own compositions sit at the crossroads of classical and American folk / bluegrass (specifically its Appalachian varieties). He has a composition for solo double bass entitled _Amalgamations_. Most of his compositions have this bluegrass flavor, such as the Violin Concerto that he composed for Hilary Hahn. Check out his version of Bach's unaccompanied _Cello Suites_ transcribed for double bass.

















(2) Dave Holland, a double-bassist and (jazz) composer. Holland is one of the finest living jazz musicians and bandleaders, and is a world-class bass player. He came to fame when Miles Davis recruited him for what became the jazz epic _Bitches Brew_ in 1969. After that, he worked with leaders of the free jazz movement (check out _Conference of the Birds_ with Sam Rivers and Anthony Braxton). In the 1980s, he did a solo bass record. In the late 1990s, his band, the Dave Holland Quintet, became recognized as perhaps the best working band in jazz. He is still very active. His solo bass record is _Emerald Tears_. My favorite records of his are with his quintet, _Prime Directive_ (ECM, 1999) and _Not for Nothin'_ (ECM, 2001).


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## tortkis

Alypius said:


> Two recommendations:
> 
> (1) Edgar Meyer (b.1960), a double-bassist and composer. He is best known for his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, and a host of bluegrass musicians (Chris Thile, Allison Krauss, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck). His own compositions sit at the crossroads of classical and American folk / bluegrass (specifically its Appalachian varieties). He has a composition for solo double bass entitled _Amalgamations_. Most of his compositions have this bluegrass flavor, such as the Violin Concerto that he composed for Hilary Hahn. Check out his version of Bach's unaccompanied _Cello Suites_ transcribed for double bass.


I remember enjoying Meyer's Quintet (string quartet + double bass) very much. Recorded by Emerson Quartet and Meyer himself as the bass player.



> (2) Dave Holland, a double-bassist and (jazz) composer. Holland is one of the finest living jazz musicians and bandleaders, and is a world-class bass player. He came to fame when Miles Davis recruited him for what became the jazz epic _Bitches Brew_ in 1969. After that, he worked with leaders of the free jazz movement (check out _Conference of the Birds_ with Sam Rivers and Anthony Braxton). In the 1980s, he did a solo bass record. In the late 1990s, his band, the Dave Holland Quintet, became recognized as perhaps the best working band in jazz. He is still very active. His solo bass record is _Emerald Tears_. My favorite records of his are with his quintet, _Prime Directive_ (ECM, 1999) and _Not for Nothin'_ (ECM, 2001).


This is a wonderful album. One of best bass solo albums, I believe. There is another bass solo album _Ones All_, which I thought had been OOP and didn't realize that it was reissued. It is also very nice, including _Pork Pie Hat_, _Mr. P. C._, _God Bless The Child_.









I think Stefano Scodanibbio recorded some solo double bass works, but I have listened to only his duo recordings with Terry Riley (_Lazy Afternoon Among the Crocodiles_ and _Diamond Fiddle Language_), which are excellent.

If anyone is interested in avant-garde solo bass, I recommend checking out this blog. I found many great works of bass music there.
The Free Jazz Collective - Solo Bass


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Not sure if this was mentioned before, but one of Haydn's symphonies 6-8 ('Le Matin', 'Le Midi', 'Le Soir') has a solo part for double bass.


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## hpowders

Serge Koussevitsky, the great conductor of the Boston Symphony was a double bass player.


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## matsoljare

tdc said:


> The word "double bass" I find confusing - does it not imply there is also just a "bass"? But since a double bass and bass are in fact the same instrument, I don't know why people refer to it as a "double bass".


It was named in the 16th or 17th century because it was originally used to double the cello part one octave lower. The cello is the bass of the violin family, thus the name. Also "double bassoon" is a archaic name for contrabassoon.


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## ptr

I've been lead to believe that *Gary Karr* was the pre-eminent double bass soloist!

Lotsa YT vids available, his recordings are often cited in the Audiophile world as amazing!














/ptr


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## Matthewv789

Gary Karr was a pioneer in the late 20th century, along with Francois Rabbath. Now there are many (mostly principal players from various orchestras), and Mikyung Sung is my favorite. Famous composers of the past included Dragonetti and especially Bottesini. More recently, Koussevitzky, Gliere, and Hindemith wrote solo pieces for the bass, as well as many contemporary composers such as Arni Egilsson and Frank Proto.


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## Rogerx

Sonata for Piano & Violincello in E Minor, Op. 38: I. Allegro non troppo

Check out Niek de Groot .


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## Heck148

hpowders said:


> Serge Koussevitsky, the great conductor of the Boston Symphony was a double bass player.


Koussie was a better bass player than a conductor....it's said that he was a virtuoso bassist.


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