Double Bass Saint Saens - Elephant

[Steve Freides]

A student is learning this piece for a middle school region orchestra audition. I've not played it on bass before.

He has the Henle edition. There is a note that says m 21-28 were an octave lower in the autograph. If that's the case, why does everyone play it an octave higher?

Thanks.

 

[Don Kasper]

This might be helpful....

Or, this...

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

If that's the case, why does everyone play it an octave higher?

The original edition published in 1922* was arranged for cello or double bass with piano and indicated that the measures in question were to be played an octave higher when the solo instrument was a double bass. It's only later that the indication on the autograph was discovered and by that time the octave transposition had become common practice.

- Steve

*Camille Saint-Saëns would not permit "The Carnival of the Animals" to be published during his lifetime outside of "The Swan" cello solo.

 

[gerry grable]

The original edition published in 1922* was arranged for cello or double bass with piano and indicated that the measures in question were to be played an octave higher when the solo instrument was a double bass. It's only later that the indication on the autograph was discovered and by that time the octave transposition had become common practice.

- Steve

*Camille Saint-Saëns would not permit "The Carnival of the Animals" to be published during his lifetime outside of "The Swan" cello solo.

Sorry, but what's an autograph?

 

[Steve Freides]

Sorry, but what's an autograph?

From the online Oxford Dictionary:

"A manuscript or musical score in the author’s or musician’s own handwriting."

IOW, it's the piece of paper the music was composed on. They can be fascinating documents, e.g., you can see where things were changed, crossed out, and the like. A published edition of an autograph score is usually called a facsimile, and if you haven't seen one, see if something's out there for a piece that you play. Of course, sometimes they don't offer much insight but you never know.

-S-

 

[Steve Freides]

@Steve Boisen, thanks. I read about the posthumous publishing request in the Wiki but I didn't know the particulars of what was found in the autograph. What's interesting is that the printed music we have is specifically for double bass, and the note at the bottom is really incomplete, since if it's as you've said, there is no doubt that the note does _not_ suggest playing it in the lower octave on the bass.

@Don Kasper thank you. I'd found the first of those online during my student's lesson, but it was too much talking and not enough playing for then - but I enjoyed watching it in its entirely just now.

Is the dialogue that Roger Moore does in the second video part of the original composition? Obviously it would have been written in French if so.

Thanks again, everyone.

-S-

 

[SteveCS]

This might be helpful....

Or, this...

@Don Kasper That first clip is really insightful (and lovely German bowing), way beyond just the piece itself - I wish there were more interpretation/musicianship discussions like this in the BG world. Thanks for posting, Don

 

[neilG]

Is the dialogue that Roger Moore does in the second video part of the original composition? Obviously it would have been written in French if so.

Thanks again, everyone.

-S-

The poem is from a collection that Ogden Nash wrote for an old Kostelanetz recording.

 

[Steve Freides]

The poem is from a collection that Ogden Nash wrote for an old Kostelanetz recording.

Thanks!

-S-

 

[DavidBassPlayer]

This might be helpful....

Or, this...

Wow! The first teaches, the second is a very different interpretation. I really like both performances and the teaching in the first. Thank YOU for the post.