I am just starting to work on this piece. Is anyone aware of difficult fingerings or passages here? I know on the first page there are some one bar tied runs, are there standard fingerings for these?
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Double Bass Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
- Thread starter CT DB
- Start date
fingerings are to your own preference on these passages. the little thing on the first page is about dynamics. think about this - you need to swell to ff with four notes to one bow, and decrescendo to forte playing only two notes to one bow. in other words, you will need to make the softer dynamic happen with literally twice the bow speed. be sure to take a look at letter M in the first movement as well. work slowly for intonation and sound production. don't clip the notes just because there is a lot of shifting. just a little thing, but the bar before letter T, maybe consider playing the D C# B on the D string and using thumb for the B. i did that fingering last time i played this and it worked pretty well. the last movement gets pretty fast, just hang on. where are you playing? need another bassist?
End of the first movement, the descending pattern of E, D, C, B etc., this is the "fate of death" motif so really bring it out. You'll notice the descending pattern later on but it is much speeded up.
In the second movement there are very many long, slow notes. Don't glaze over and play them monotone. There is a different dynamic under almost every note. If you follow them, the piece sounds much better.
Third mov't - not hard, take a breather.
Fourth movement - There are a lot of notes. Fortunately, most are in patterns. It makes a great study for shifting actually. There are a few weirdly printed double sharps though, be sure to look at that so it doesn't slow you down the first time you look at it.
The hardest part about this movement is that it goes on forever, most of it forte or more. So, take it easy and let the tuba provide the volume and you provide the weight of the note. Save the mojo for after the long B dominant chord on the second last page, then let 'er rip.
Play lots to build up your stamina and do arm stretches before playing or you may do damage playing this piece.
Speaking of that long B, if someone in the section has a five string bass or an extension that goes to a low-B, they should play it with gusto on the B at the big pause.
The last bar will sound much more final if half the section takes it down an octave. Or better yet, the whole section plays a double stop with E on the A string and the low-E played together!
Guinness Stout is a really good beer to drink after this concert. Also, order a good potato dish and a shot of vodka.
In the second movement there are very many long, slow notes. Don't glaze over and play them monotone. There is a different dynamic under almost every note. If you follow them, the piece sounds much better.
Third mov't - not hard, take a breather.
Fourth movement - There are a lot of notes. Fortunately, most are in patterns. It makes a great study for shifting actually. There are a few weirdly printed double sharps though, be sure to look at that so it doesn't slow you down the first time you look at it.
The hardest part about this movement is that it goes on forever, most of it forte or more. So, take it easy and let the tuba provide the volume and you provide the weight of the note. Save the mojo for after the long B dominant chord on the second last page, then let 'er rip.
Play lots to build up your stamina and do arm stretches before playing or you may do damage playing this piece.
Speaking of that long B, if someone in the section has a five string bass or an extension that goes to a low-B, they should play it with gusto on the B at the big pause.
The last bar will sound much more final if half the section takes it down an octave. Or better yet, the whole section plays a double stop with E on the A string and the low-E played together!
Guinness Stout is a really good beer to drink after this concert. Also, order a good potato dish and a shot of vodka.
Thanks! That's really helpful. I started working on the four note-two note patterns with the crescendo/decrescendo. That's going to take some work, haha. I PM'd you square bear.
I like the thumb position idea before T, helps with the transition.
Anyone have a fingering suggestion for the second motif after M"? The one that starts A flat, F, d? I am playing the one right at M in thumb position and moving to the C# on the E string, but with the second bit, it is much more difficult to come up with a nice fingering. any suggestions?
Anyone have a fingering suggestion for the second motif after M"? The one that starts A flat, F, d? I am playing the one right at M in thumb position and moving to the C# on the E string, but with the second bit, it is much more difficult to come up with a nice fingering. any suggestions?
I'm going to be playing this soon as well. I love this piece!
One small question I had, in the second mvt at the piu mosso after H. Those 8th notes are separate, but my part has each 2 slurred penciled in. Is this common? We haven't rehearsed it yet, so I'll wait to hear from the conductor, but it seemed an odd thing to change.
One small question I had, in the second mvt at the piu mosso after H. Those 8th notes are separate, but my part has each 2 slurred penciled in. Is this common? We haven't rehearsed it yet, so I'll wait to hear from the conductor, but it seemed an odd thing to change.
I'll keep this in mind!
