Chamber Music

[abkaye]

I was recently asked by a small group of
chamber players (2 violins, a viola, and
a cello) to come play and to suggest some
music (obviously with bass).

If anyone has any suggestions (feel free
to mention the usual pieces in case I've
forgotten any, as well as anything cool
but out of the mainstream), I'd really
appreciate it.

Many thanks,

Tony

[paul]

Get yourself a pianist and play the Trout :-) Let's see, also Dvorak quintet, Prokofiev quintet? ...

[Kouss]

Well...there is the Dvorak Bass Quintet, the Trout, there are some awesome frank proto pieces for a quintet i believe, Janacek Quintet...look in the lemur catalogue


-Aaron

[George F. Schmidtt]

The Trout requires a very good pianist and only one violin. The bass makes a very good 5th wheel playing the Dvorek "Bass Quintet" Op. 77 but it is a little too long hair for some audiences. For a real treat, try playing the second cello part of Schubert's Quintet in C Major (also known as the Cello Quintet.) For starters play it at cello pitch (up an octave) and work from ther where you think it might require a little more bass (or you find yourself getting nosebleeds.) The Cello duet in the first movement brings tears to ones eyes, the second movement is a real bear, and the third movement has some real neat douple stops. The second cello part should really have been scored fro a bass all along.

[shlomo]

Chamber music rocks. I've played some Bach cantatas with chamber groups, and that was very interesting, as well as some other 20th century stuff.

My advice personally is to not be afraid to step up to the plate. Meaning that you are at least an equal member in the ensemble, and some or all of the other players will listen to you to hear where the rhythm and pitch are (depending on the music, of course). When I did the Bach stuff I was amazed and terrified when I heard how much of what was happening depended on me. Even if the other musicians don't lean on you, if you come right up and contribute rather than just playing through your part things will sound that much better. Chamber music made me completely rethink my approach to orchestra music for this fact, but it's even more poignant in chamber music because there's *no one* to hide behind.

[George F. Schmidtt]

Don't limit yourself to Bach. If you can crash the party and get passed the second violins and viola players, the cello parts to the later Beethoven and Schubert Quartets are a real treat too.

[shlomo]

Beethoven quartets are incredible, period. Sounds good, if only I can find musicians...

I never had the opportunity. The school I went to was overrun with either percussionists or singers, so my chamber music experience was limited to accompanying small choral groups, helping student composers realize pieces and playing really whacked 20th century stuff with percussion and small wind ensembles.