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Double Bass Dragonetti's bass
- Thread starter oliebrice
- Start date
It sounds great and she sounds very musical. And she has a lovely speaking voice too.
She uses a funny bow grip though -- check 0:59 4:43 or 5:40, she's waaay up the bow!
She uses a funny bow grip though -- check 0:59 4:43 or 5:40, she's waaay up the bow!
Nothing funny about it, this is how the bow was held historically.
Dane in Chamber Orchestra of Europe uses a Dragonetti bow even for later reportoire. I have seen him use it with COE on all four Brahms symphonies. Would not be surprised if he uses it for later stuff as well. He also frequently uses plain gut top strings and old style spun bottom strings.
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Well that’s the place for it. Watching the Beethoven 6th with them on YT . Great version, 3400 views . Too good for the kids I guess. So far I see two German, one French in the basses but the shots are wide and I should be writing python anyway.....
Thanks for the distraction!
Thanks for the distraction!
Very cool. I'd never heard of this very unique instrument. Thanks for posting!
She is playing Waltz #3 from [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], probably the first music ever composed for unaccompanied double bass. The instrument is obviously tuned an octave higher than a double bass.
Here's another one of Dragonetti's waltzes played on Dragonetti's famous Gasparo Da Salo double bass. It still has its original three-string set up and I believe the bassist is also using one of Dragonetti's own bows.
- Steve
Here's another one of Dragonetti's waltzes played on Dragonetti's famous Gasparo Da Salo double bass. It still has its original three-string set up and I believe the bassist is also using one of Dragonetti's own bows.
- Steve
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I wouldn’t expect those to be played on Dragonetti’s basses. He wasn’t from that school of playing and tuned his bass in fourths.
- Steve
I was wondering about your statement
"She is playing Waltz #3 from [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], probably the first music ever composed for unaccompanied double bass."
So, did you mean the first music for DB tuned in fourths ? I'm not trying to catch you out, just seemed like there were probably pieces for solo DB written before Dragonetti. Maybe the earliest we have sheet music for now ?
The key word here is “unaccompanied”. There was earlier music for double bass playing in a solo capacity while accompanied by other instruments. I don’t know of any earlier pieces written for unaccompanied double bass. The editor also mentions this in the forward to the edition that I included a link to.
- Steve
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Fair enough , and now that you've got me looking, at least at IMSLP Vanhal, Dittersdorf, Capuzzi, Kohaut etc. have plenty of concerti, duos etc but no solos. Interesting .
Thanks for that history!
Appears Dragonetti had a healthy case of gas. Edward Tait, previously a member of the Toronto Symphony, traded his Busan for a 1795 Vincenzo Panormo that was owned by Dragonetti. His Vincenzo Panormo is now with the Royal Danish Opera Orchestra. Unlike the Basse de Violon above, the Gasparo da Salo and Panormo are large instruments. Gasparo's last name is Bertolotti, born in Salo Italy.
The info on Dragonetti is from the Baroque Violin Shop.
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This is rather cool.
Kind of like ...I need a bass, let's get a Gasparo or ...I need a car, let's get a '56 Continental Bentley.
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Andrea Spada is building a copy of this bass for me right now!
Mine will have five strings and a removable neck however...
So, maybe I missed this, but is the OP instrument tuned in 4ths like a double bass, or in 5ths, like a cello?
