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Double Bass Divisi in the section

F

fergus currie

Mar 30, 2009
413
9
Athens Greece
www.myspace.com
#1
We're playing Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev at the moment and towards the end there is a passage which is in octaves and goes quite high and is exposed. We have tried divisi by desk but opted for front desks upstairs and back desks down stairs. The same problem arises in Mahler 3 where there is a passage marked 'half the players. but it's written like a divisi with the second division all rests. Some orchestras play front 4 only others play right players only.

What's your slant on the subject?

FC
 
#3
When Mahler writes only half the basses, I think it's best to use the front half, rather than do it by desk. When done by desk I find it kind of messy, with not enough contact between the players who are playing the same part. Whereas when the front desks play together its just like playing with a smaller bass section (which is what Mahler had in mind by asking for half of the group I think).

In simple octaves I prefer to divide by the desk because the guys with the upper octave can better hear the lower octave when its right next to them. That is helpful, because they need to tune to it. Btw, one important thing about octaves is that the lower octave needs to be somewhat louder than the upper. It helps with intonation and also sounds better on the whole. If there are an odd amount of players, I'd always ask the extra bassist to play the lower part.

These are ofc just my opinions from the experiences I've had thus far. I'm interested to hear how other sections do it also :)
 
#7
I have tried inside-outside divisi, divisi by desk, and cutting the section in half. From my point of view, the section seems to be much more together when cutting the section in half. Having the person next to you playing the same part helps. We have 7 players so we usually put the last 4 players on the bottom and the first 3 players on the top.
I think it's a good way to do it.
 
#9
When I am principal of a 3 person section (which seems like the new standard even for big works by Tchaikovsky and Berlioz around here, but don't get me started...), if the divisi is in octaves, I usually have all three of us play the bottom note and leave out the upper one.

I check the score as well to see if the upper note is really necessary. Usually, an octave divisi is to replace the cello line when they play the melody. I find having the heavy bottom more important and I've never had a conductor complain.

If it's a fifth, usually I have the others play the bottom and I play the top.
 

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