Double Bass My first chamber-music performance

[AGCurry]

Well done and fun! Good for you.

Regarding tapping ones foot, picture everyone in a symphony tapping feet. Just don’t do it. It is about the other players. A tapping foot can throw off, or distract, a seasoned classical professional. Break the habit.

A friendly constructive observation regarding the cello:
Yes she was out of tune and came unglued, it is obvious. Try not to comment.

I have noticed that the best top local music professionals I have come across have been consistent in never negatively criticizing another player. There have been many opportunities for them.

Don’t be too hard on the lady. She may be an absolute beginner who has rarely or never played a solo in front of an audience, or frantic with stage fright, or perhaps panicked when the word ‘solo’ appeared. Or who knows what. She could also be stellar in her own musical improvement and we should be so fortunate to do the same.

She came unraveled at bars 62 and 68. After listening I got interested and played her solo. It took a number of times for myself to get it presentable. We can be sure she would like to get that moment in time back. It has happened to me and it will happen to all of us.

View attachment 4378892

Points taken, Casey. Thanks for the friendly criticism. I was a little surprised, because in rehearsal she played that passage well... and she was always gracious. I need to do the same.

 

[David Potts]

AG, I got carried away and spanked my self mentally afterwards as I read the flow of great comments from the others here. I said animate - animate - animate ! Well, perhaps just animate ! So I had the bright idea of looking up your piece on Youtube and found an Italian quartet playing it at the Solsberg Festival, 2017. If anyone can express themselves with arm movements and flourishes it has got to be the Italians? I've also found that watching old footage of orchestras like the Berlin Phil on Qwest Classical (hosted by Quincy Jones) has not only saved my sanity during Covid for the last year but demonstrated how much more energy and movement all the strings, including the basses, the European players use.

The other thing I learned was that the general level of production of this footage is so much better than of my ex-orchestra. Their double basses featured much more prominently and so often on camera whereas our cameras and chosen placements had an inbuilt stop that excluded the basses so often it was a joke.

 

[Ed S]

Our V2's wife is a music director at a church, and yesterday he and my wife were discussing dates on which we could provide music for services. Here's hoping they don't allow AV recording so I don't have to humble myself here!

Then today, we were playing some simple trio material with a different fiddler, and all of a sudden I could vibrato! Now where the hell did THAT come from? I had given up even trying for some time - with the bow it was always like patting your head and rubbing your stomach. But revisiting some easy pieces, I decided to try it and there it was! That kinda thing is just so cool!

 

[Alexis Duntov]

Second and third movements of Rossini Sonata No. 3, at Missouri chamber-music camp.

A fairly easy piece, thank goodness. I enjoyed it!
The editors used the beginning of the piece for credits, but video does start eventually.

Critiques welcomed! I know I hit a couple of notes flat, and that I was a little late a couple of times. What else?

Bravo! That's quite an accomplishment. Seems like an easy piece but then again not so easy since playing these stringed instruments in tune is never easy. You sounded rich, full, and in tune. Maybe a tad rushed during the part where you are sort of playing the melody, but I have the same problem in ALL of my bass playing. I'd be very proud of this had it been my performance. I'd love to get into a chamber situation like this. Well done.

 

[AGCurry]

... Maybe a tad rushed during the part where you are sort of playing the melody...

Thank you. The funny (?) thing about that is: Yes, it does sound rushed, but it's probably actually losing velocity. When it looks and sounds easy, I'll know I've arrived at a new milestone.

 

[Neil Pye]

Bravo! Great work! Chamber music is some of the most enjoyable music making I do these days, and the majority of that is exactly as it was intended - in a room or under an awning with a bunch of friends. I have a group called the "Chianti Ensemble" and we get together a few times a year to play through a decent sized chamber piece and drink good wine and eat good food. Our first outing of the year was Sunday in the bassoonist's beautiful garden. Schubert Octet, followed by good Rioja and paella. just so much fun to be able to hear everything everyone plays!

 

[Neil Pye]

Regarding tapping ones foot, picture everyone in a symphony tapping feet. Just don’t do it. It is about the other players. A tapping foot can throw off, or distract, a seasoned classical professional. Break the habit.

Good advice. I have found that I can keep time very nicely by lifting my big toe instead of tapping my foot. The sensation of your toe hitting the inside of your shoe works really well, and it's silent! Takes a while, but it's second nature to me, after all these years!