Excerpt books

bopeuph · #1 03-23-2009, 01:43 PM

I'm thinking about getting my orchestral technique down on bass, and I was wondering about excerpt books? What are some good ones? Is there some decent CD-Rom versions? I have a real neat version for low brass that Gordon Cherry did as a CD-Rom, and was wondering if there's something like that. I see something like this on Lemur, but it looks like it's split up in different composers, and you gotta pay $20 for each. When it all adds up, it seems to be much more expensive than the low brass rep CD, and for that one, you get more bang for the buck, since it includes all trombone, tuba, and tenor tuba parts. That one sells for just under $90.

So, what's a relatively inexpensive way for a jazzer with not much money, lots of free time, not many classical bass connections, etc., to get a hold of these parts and start working on them?

Nick

Dr_Atomic · #2 03-23-2009, 02:50 PM

There are the excerpt books published by International that come in 7 volumes but the first 4 are the easiest to find. Each is entitled "Classical and Modern Works - Orchestral Excerpts: Volume ..."

There is a book by another publisher that includes 64 works by Dvorak, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Scriabin, Smetana that includes a CD.

There are books out by Hoffmeister too that include:
Bruckner
Mahler
Tchaikovsky
Verdi

And of course there are the Zimmerman books for around $20 each:
Beethoven
Mozart, Haydn, Weber
Brahms
36 Overtures
Strauss Tone Poems
JS Bach
Romantic Symphonies

There is also a book out called Orchester Probespiel Kontrabass by Schott that has many of the most important excerpts from the orchestral and opera repertoire. It is about 19 Euros.

bopeuph · #3 03-23-2009, 02:52 PM

Thanks. Would you recommend the Schott first, if I'm limited in my money? I've had three gigs in the last two months, and I only have a few students right now. Frankly, I'm trying to expand my marketability. I'm thinking the most popular excerpts for some local auditions, is that a good way to go?

Nick

salcott · #4 03-23-2009, 02:55 PM

The Zimmerman books are indispensable, IMO. They have complete parts, not just excerpts. I believe Oscar's son Bob has added to these books, but in digital format.

Dr_Atomic · #5 03-23-2009, 03:11 PM

Yes, it sounds like the Schott book might be a good starting place. It has pretty much everything that is important but not the complete parts, mind you, just excerpts. It also has a section of opera excerpts which can be useful (or at least interesting) as well as the important orchestral solos.

Chang · #6 03-23-2009, 08:47 PM

Gordon Cherry also has a collection available of double bass parts. I believe it's the entire collection of Zimmerman books plus some. They're edited by Robert Zimmerman, although you can choose to view them with no markings. Also, it has free updates after you purchase it once.

Website:
http://www.cherry-classics.com/

It's $59. It's great if you don't mind printing stuff out.

bopeuph · #7 03-23-2009, 08:58 PM

Don't know how I missed that. I saw only the low brass and trumpet books, but I guess I didn't look much farther because I assumed I wouldn't find a bass excerpt CD on a trombonist's website. Thanks.

Nick

bopeuph · #8 03-29-2009, 12:07 PM

So, the Zimmerman CD is ordered. Now I'm wondering one thing: where to start? The only audition on Musical Chairs that's advertised the required excerpts is Green Bay. There's a popular trombone site that lists the most frequently called excerpts out of a survey of 26 auditions. The same with solos called out of 83 times. It's a pretty handy idea. Anything like that for bass? What are some good excerpts to start off with? I'm currently working on Marriage of Figaro out of my Simandl until my CD gets here.

Nick

jgbass · #9 03-29-2009, 10:53 PM

I would go to the Jason Heath Contrabass Conversations site and find the segment about Orchestral Excerpts with John Grillo. He talks about the most common excerpts and plays examples. There is also an opera excerpt segment.

I have the DVD and it is great, and it has just about everything you would need both the bowing markings and without.

It took several weeks to get this DVD though. I emailed Cherry Publishing, and they apparently only do mailings once every few weeks. So, do not hold your breath for it to arrive, unless you get lucky and he is getting ready to do a mailing now.

Somewhere on this site there is a link to a small book of excerpts you can download.

bopeuph · #10 03-29-2009, 10:56 PM

Thanks for all the great info. I'm going to have to search for the book.

Yeah, I looked at my invoice and I saw April 8. I thought that was the expected arrival date, but realized after a while that was the expected shipping date. From Vancouver to Florida. It's going to be a while.

Nick

BrianMcAnally · #11 03-29-2009, 11:17 PM

Speaking of excepts, does anyone know where I can find a complete double bass part of Shostakovich 5? I can't find one anywhere.

bopeuph · #12 03-30-2009, 01:46 AM

Ok, I went all over the site for quite a while, couldn't find that small excerpt book book. Can I get some help locating it?

Nick

neilG · #13 03-30-2009, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianMcAnally

Speaking of excepts, does anyone know where I can find a complete double bass part of Shostakovich 5? I can't find one anywhere.

My part is published by Kalmus. It doesn't show up in their catalog but it's worth an email to them to see if they still have it. I have other Shostakovich parts from Schirmer so I bet it's one of the two.

bopeuph · #14 04-02-2009, 05:59 PM

So I found this site:

http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_Compos...he_Double_Bass

It doesn't have much, but it has a good amount of things to hold me over until Gordon Cherry's CD gets here.

Nick

jgbass · #15 04-03-2009, 12:55 PM

bopeuph,

I did a search for the DB downloadable Bass Excerpt book. It was initially listed in a thread entitled "Excerpts." Unfortunately, it is no longer downloadable and has been removed.

Peter Ferretti · #16 04-03-2009, 04:12 PM

As far as I know, Shosti 5 is a rental only part. I had to ask the orchestra library here to make a copy for me.

bopeuph · #17 04-03-2009, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbass

bopeuph,

I did a search for the DB downloadable Bass Excerpt book. It was initially listed in a thread entitled "Excerpts." Unfortunately, it is no longer downloadable and has been removed.

Heh, figures. Well, that other site is doing me real well right now. Beethoven 5 is now my musical bane!

Nick

chazbox · #18 05-28-2011, 07:28 PM

If you're interested in excerpt books, Ovation Press sells orchestral excerpts and parts for bass edited by the principal bassists from some of the big US orchestras. Editors include Paul Ellison, Larry Hurst and Ed Barker. You can print the music at home. Larry Hurst's editions are excerpts and the rest are full-length parts.

mattgray · #19 05-28-2011, 09:20 PM

Just make your own. IMSLP will be your friend, as will music libraries. If you're looking for something that was written past 1920, chances are it's under copyright, including Shostakovich symphonies, Britten's Young Person's Guide, Prokofiev's Lt. Kije, any Bartok pieces, etc.

I made myself a book with the following from IMSLP alone:
Bach Orchestral suite #2
Mozart symphonies #35, 39, 40, 41
Haydn symphonies #31, 88
Beethoven symphonies #2, 3, 5, 7, 9
Mendelssohn symphonies #3, 4
Brahms symphonies #1, 2
Mahler symphonies #1, 2, 4, 5
Strauss: Don Juan, Ein Heldenleben, Till Eulenspiegel's, Death and Transfiguration, Alpine Symphony, Also Sprach Zarathustra
Tchaikovsky symphony #4
Smetana: Bartered Bride overture
Verdi: Otello soli

really the only things you need left to get are the Pulcinella Suite (Stravinsky), Lt. Kijé (Prokofiev; although that may or may not be public domain, can't remember), Shostakovich pieces, and Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, and a local music library can probably help you with that.

Also, it would help to use a binder; I have two binders so that my stand doesn't sink when I use the book.

PRUNEFACE · #20 05-29-2011, 07:25 AM

Kijé, unfortunately, is not public domain.