Double Bass New World Largo Db chord

[gprigge]

"... and just makes the other instrumentalists roll their eyes that bassists are an embarrassment to the orchestra."

Good one.

 

[Herbie 80's]

I've played this with two basses twice. In one orchestra we did double stops. The other orchestra was with a student of mine, so I did a double stop and she played one note. I forget how we did it now.

But, when you play this, don't be afraid to bring it out! That to me is the biggest part of this. I know it says to be quiet, but don't be afraid to bring it out a bit so you don't squeak or have a scratchy tone. Play it with A LOT of confidence.

Dvorak doesn't often give basses a time to shine when we aren't also accompanied by cellos. This is one of the few, so be proud!

 

[robobass]

I've played this with two basses twice. In one orchestra we did double stops. The other orchestra was with a student of mine, so I did a double stop and she played one note. I forget how we did it now.

But, when you play this, don't be afraid to bring it out! That to me is the biggest part of this. I know it says to be quiet, but don't be afraid to bring it out a bit so you don't squeak or have a scratchy tone. Play it with A LOT of confidence.

Dvorak doesn't often give basses a time to shine when we aren't also accompanied by cellos. This is one of the few, so be proud!

Yes, Bring it out! It's misleading that these romantic era orchestral solos are marked p and with mute. Listen to any of the older recordings of Mahler I by American symphonies, and you simply cannot hear the bass solo at all. In a perfect concert hall it may be the proper marking, but in real life you've got to play it with some force. Don't forget that when these things were written there were no cars and trucks driving around outside, and no air conditioners and forced air heaters blowing inside. The background noise floor these composers were accustomed to simply does not exist today. Sad.

Edit: Perhaps the bassists back then were the testosterone filled animals that they sometimes are today, and the composers intentionally exaggerated the dynamic markings whenever the bass was featured to prevent a clown show?

 

[Herbie 80's]

It might have been because a lot of the time they played in churches, or halls modeled after churches instead of our dry halls. They didn't need to play very hard in order to make a big sound. I know I'm very thankful to play in a church when I'm a solo bass with an orchestra!

 

[robobass]

It might have been because a lot of the time they played in churches, or halls modeled after churches instead of our dry halls. They didn't need to play very hard in order to make a big sound. I know I'm very thankful to play in a church when I'm a solo bass with an orchestra!

Interesting idea. Although I think I would prefer to play Mahler I solo in a church, I would be terrified to do this Dvorak passage there, where any intonation faults would linger for what would seem like hours

 

[Herbie 80's]

Oh yeah, Mahler 1 in a church is fantastic. Doesn't have the right feeling of being very far away in the distance in a dry hall. The sound dies so fast.. it doesn't linger at all!

The Pulcinella suite in a church is also a whole lot of fun, and at least that is not written piano!