Double Bass Dvorak 7

[Andy Mopley]

Hi all

Just trying to understand the composer's thinking here, when it comes to the 2 phrases circled in red. Specifically the last A note in the phrase. Why have it an octave higher, which seems also a bit more challenging to play at speed and with a whole lot of other instruments playing at the same time?? Could it be a transcription error? (Not many I've come across in IMSLP). Personally I don't think it makes a difference, but keen to understand if there is a reason for it.
Regards to all

 

[David Potts]

Plan B is to play the lower A, but Plan A works if you use open A to give time to play the octave A on the D string and the following steps down the A string 1 4 1 4 1 4 0 1 (2 4) 0 then Octave A and repeat. Stepping down the A string is much more fun than trying to cross strings IMO. Cheers, DP

 

[User4843936]

The cello part two bars before each of the bits you highlighted is also different each time (at rehearsal A and 8 after rehearsal C). They’ve got the same thing printed as what’s in the bass part in each of your highlighted quaver passages.

Why? I suppose it was just ‘what he felt like’…

 

[elberon]

Dvorak is just using the concept of varied repetition. I'd play the last three pitches A (open) A (4th finger on D string) and then D (either 1st finger on A string or open D, then mute it with left hand) to minimize the string crossings and distance between them. I think David suggests the same thing.

 

[Boumic]

It doesn't says much about exactly this one note that differs in the bass part, but as you can see (and in this case maybe rather hear) in the context of the whole orchestration, each rendition of this phrase is slightly different in terms of emphasis on different motives. In the second repetition much more emphasis is put on the bass line, which is reinforced by two french horns. Also there is the "con forza" instruction that is not in the first rendition.

I think the octave transition of the last eight note brings a bit more power to the phrase too. Nor would it be so surprising that Dvořák thought about two different fingering for these phrases in order to have a different sound, and this single note leads the player to do so. As you probably know, he was a viola player and you can see a lot of deep understanding to string instrument specifics in his works.