Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Thomas Martin
- Thread starter damonsmith
- Start date
Yes he is. I have heard, however, that he is a VERY quiet player. I heard a story that during a recording of one of Bottesini's duos for two basses (with Mr Martin and Francesco Petracchi as the bassists) Mr Petracchi had to be moved far away from the mics because of how much sound he put out compared to Mr Martin, apparently ten or fifteen feet further (although this could be exageration caused by retellings) from his original position, and Mr Martin was put almost on top of it.
I love his recordings, though, and would love to see him in person.
I love his recordings, though, and would love to see him in person.
My teacher met him and always says the opposite.
Said he is loud as hell. How do you get to be a LSO member without being that loud?
I saw him at the University of Washington some years ago, and I don't recall that his playing was particularly soft. He carried without a microphone in the small hall inside the music building there. I wouldn't say that it was extremely loud, either. I thought he played very well, though. He did the Bottesini grand duo along with (violinist) Maria Larionoff, the wife of UW double bass prof Barry Lieberman. I'm sure he played something else, but I don't remember what it was anymore.
I have never heard a quiet principal of a major orchestra. I am sure this is myth.
I doubt he would use the same bass in the LSO and in solo-playing, so that could potentially account for it. Petracchi being super loud might be it, too. Re-tellings after several generations add up!
When I was 16 I heard his recording of Bottesini #1. It was the first time I heard a bass play solo. It's the reason why I play the bass.
When most play Bottesini, you hear how well they can play the bass - I don't find that problematic, but when Martin plays it he gets to a deeper place in the music. It could be debated whether Bottesini's music deserves that level of exploration, but he has done it. I return to these albums more than to other more clearly virtuoso recordings by other players.
Martin seems to have the warmth of the older soloists with an awareness of current playing standards.
damonsmith said:
I agree he is simply wonderful sounding. I do the same with posta's grancino double bass record. I was wondering though what you meant regarding Level of exploration though? Why would you not explore his or any other music deeply? Isn't that what it's all about? Otherwise you are going through the motions. Right?
Mr. Martin is definitely a devoted student of Bottesini and it shows in his playing. I hear what you are saying about whether Bottesini is deserving of that attention, but I say more power to him. There are hundreds, or even thousands, of people putting that level of exploration into Bach or Beethoven or whoever. Why not one guy putting it into Bottesini?
FWIW, I was at that concert at the UW (assuming it was the same one) and I thought he sounded great. Not quiet that I remember. He was playing one of his own basses, and then right after the show he slapped some Spirocores on it and handed it over to Luther Hughes, who was up from LA and had ordered that bass from Tom. It sounded great on Bottesini and great for jazz, too.
Ah, I get it now. Michael Glynn answered it. You meant exploration in terms of scholarship not in terms of performance. If that is the case I agree but will say I welcome anyone who is trying to elevate the less than exalted status the double bass has in classical music. (Jazz and New Music aficionados seem to have grasped the amazing sonic range of the bass) So I am glad he is a Bottesini scholar because I am not willing to be. 
I got that Posta LP for $1! He is amazing. I think it is incredible that he goes so deep in Bottesini, I just think people could argue that it isn't the best music in the world. I love it, bass players love it and I love that he takes it beyond "show pieces".
These are some of my favorite solo bass recordings.
So I am glad he is a Bottesini scholar because I am not willing to be.
Right! I also think it is what pushed these recordings over the top, though!
If I'm honest, I really don't have a deep love for Bottesini.
I listened all of his concertos and most of his other popular works (and I've listened to them a number of times), but there's only a few pieces that I really enjoy.
Is there something I'm missing here? Any way to approach Bottesini that you wouldn't approach someone like Tchaikovsky with?
I love practicing Bottesini! I don't think it is the best music, but I think Martin takes it somewhere beyond a show case for "command of the upper register" with his historical research.
It really makes this music I find myself returning to so often, he makes it about the music and not the virtuosity.
It material we so often hear played indifferently, or just use as practice material I think he finds the musical content in Bottesini, and any music with that much care put in is going to come through.
It really makes this music I find myself returning to so often, he makes it about the music and not the virtuosity.
It material we so often hear played indifferently, or just use as practice material I think he finds the musical content in Bottesini, and any music with that much care put in is going to come through.
My first bass teacher, Alex Nichol, later (1979) took time off his VSO position to go and study with Thomas Martin. Thomas and George Martin have been very good for the bass world.
This is an interesting article on Martin from about 20 years ago. Originally published in Double Bassist magazine and recently republished in The Strad.
https://www.thestrad.com/double-bas...omas-martin-man-for-all-seasons/14032.article
This is an interesting article on Martin from about 20 years ago. Originally published in Double Bassist magazine and recently republished in The Strad.
https://www.thestrad.com/double-bas...omas-martin-man-for-all-seasons/14032.article
Last edited:
