In getting ready for college auditions and just trying to make the Koussevitzky Concerto every bit as beautiful as it can be, his video on youtube have been the most helpful, I think he plays it up there with Gary Karr and other incredible bassists.
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Double Bass Top 5 Orchestral Bassists
- Thread starter BrianMcAnally
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I'm not really feeling Mr. Ruiz's interpretation of the Koussevitzky Concerto. The intonation is there, and there are many spots I like, but his playing as a whole on this piece is just not my cup of tea.
Its a little bit less accented than other people do it, he plays it a little more smooth. I actaully like it, though I see how it is different and might not please everyone. He also is liberal with his length of notes sometimes.
^ Mr. Ruiz does have a smooth sound, but his playing on the Koussevitzky lacks conviction IMO. He has the tools and a good sound, but he seems unsure of how he actually wants to play it.
Gary Karr's rendition of the Koussevitzky on youtube was done when he was much older than Mr. Ruiz was. Mr. Karr's playing has a few things I don't like (he uses the same amount of vibrato way too much, and his general dynamics are a bit lacking), but he sounds like he plays with much more sincerity and conviction than Mr. Ruiz does.
Gary Karr's rendition of the Koussevitzky on youtube was done when he was much older than Mr. Ruiz was. Mr. Karr's playing has a few things I don't like (he uses the same amount of vibrato way too much, and his general dynamics are a bit lacking), but he sounds like he plays with much more sincerity and conviction than Mr. Ruiz does.
If I were ever in a section...In which I've never been, I would get as FAR away from Eugene Levinson as possible.
Why? My respect for his work would cripple me, both emotionally and phisically. His vibrato, or lack of. That huge, dark sound he gets just kills me.
Even if I'd get last chair, he could drown me out.
His bass ain't too bad either.
Why? My respect for his work would cripple me, both emotionally and phisically. His vibrato, or lack of. That huge, dark sound he gets just kills me.
Even if I'd get last chair, he could drown me out.
His bass ain't too bad either.
Yep, Levinson is truly incredible. He also has culture, he is not just a technical machine, but rather a musician that pays very close attention to phrasing, form, balance, emotion etc...
For those compatible with his style, he is a truly amazing teacher as well.
Mr. Levinson is quite a small man correct? Just wondering if anyone could tell me a bit about his playing style and what the "new york sound" is?
Thanks.
Hey Calvin!
He is not big, but he didn't strike me as small either, probably because he seems quite fit. His hands are regular size as far as I can remember (I left Juilliard in 92)
He plays with the 4 finger technique, and he sort of rolls his fingers in a half-extension half-pivot sort of way. He is very scientific and economical when it comes to fingerings, so he will use a lot of inner fingerings and thumb in traditionally non-thumb areas.
Very sophisticated and versatile vibrato so it is difficult to generalize, but one could say it is romantic (wide, expressive).
His sound is focused rather than thick.
German bow with very little wrist and a very standard grip, he does have many french bow students as well.
The NY sound used to be very dry, short and focused. Mainly because of their crappy hall. Levinson has helped smooth things up a bit.
Thanks for the info. I don't know if you're in Toronto yet but I'd love to take some lessons on German bow. I'd like to be able to say I can play both equally well but currently my French Bow technique is far superior.
Thanks Calvin, we attempted twice (driving) in the last two weeks and had to drive back because of road conditions, fog, or both. The lake didn't freeze so the weather patterns have been awful.
I'd love to hook up with you when I move permanently in May/June.
My favorites are Edicson Ruiz, Dennis Trembly, John Hood, Joel Quarrington, and Orin O'Brien. There are a few others who I'd probably put on this list but I either haven't heard them play or haven't heard them play enough. Some of these people are Rob Kassinger, Hal Robinson, and Ali Yazdanfar.
All of these guys are incredible musicians. When they play you can really feel that they have a connection with the music and it sounds very natural. I don't think all of them are the cleanest players but you can still tell that they pay incredible attention to detail.
Joel Quarrington is the only one I haven't met but I saw his recital at the last ISB convention and it blew me away.
Edicson did a masterclass at the Manhattan School of Music last year when the Berlin Philharmonic came to NYC. He was preparing the Vanhal concerto for a concert in Venezuela at the time and he played a little of it in the class. Absolutely incredible. He also played some of the opening of Mahler 2. His orchestral playing is better than his solo playing. Edicson is probably my favorite musician out there right now.
John Hood's playing is a lot like Edicson's. Incredibly connected to the music. Like Edicson his solo playing is amazing but his orchestral playing is even better.
I've only heard Orin's orchestral playing and it's great. She's been playing with the NY Philharmonic for over forty years and you can really sense all that history of playing with great musicians in her playing. She's in her 70s and is still a very strong player.
On the other side I've only heard Dennis' solo playing. I saw his last two recitals at the ISB conventions. They were both great but the one in Kalamazoo was really amazing. I think he was more prepared for the Kalamazoo one since he was playing one of the main evening recitals. He seems like an incredibly natural musician and I bet his orchestral playing is as good as it gets.
All of these guys are incredible musicians. When they play you can really feel that they have a connection with the music and it sounds very natural. I don't think all of them are the cleanest players but you can still tell that they pay incredible attention to detail.
Joel Quarrington is the only one I haven't met but I saw his recital at the last ISB convention and it blew me away.
Edicson did a masterclass at the Manhattan School of Music last year when the Berlin Philharmonic came to NYC. He was preparing the Vanhal concerto for a concert in Venezuela at the time and he played a little of it in the class. Absolutely incredible. He also played some of the opening of Mahler 2. His orchestral playing is better than his solo playing. Edicson is probably my favorite musician out there right now.
John Hood's playing is a lot like Edicson's. Incredibly connected to the music. Like Edicson his solo playing is amazing but his orchestral playing is even better.
I've only heard Orin's orchestral playing and it's great. She's been playing with the NY Philharmonic for over forty years and you can really sense all that history of playing with great musicians in her playing. She's in her 70s and is still a very strong player.
On the other side I've only heard Dennis' solo playing. I saw his last two recitals at the ISB conventions. They were both great but the one in Kalamazoo was really amazing. I think he was more prepared for the Kalamazoo one since he was playing one of the main evening recitals. He seems like an incredibly natural musician and I bet his orchestral playing is as good as it gets.
OT....
Cory, please give my best to Rob if you see him. Thanks.
OOPS...you're in NY. Sorry. Anyway, he be fine.
Cory, please give my best to Rob if you see him. Thanks.
OOPS...you're in NY. Sorry. Anyway, he be fine.
Joel has a phenomenal very "deep bassy" sound. It's extremely rich and focused; sounds like dark chocolate. I truly love his style of playing the bass.
The New York Sound is articulate above all. The bass players probably play twice as loud as any other section in the US because Avery Fisher is so terrible, but when you hear the orchestra in the audience it sounds normal. That's what you get for building a hall that seats almost 3000. Otherwise, it's the same style that Boston and Chicago want to hear - short, off the string, and CLEAN in addition to everything else every orchestra wants to hear.
Exactly, people want to make halls where you can have the mud wrestling, the truck show and then the symphony on fridays. It just doesn't work.
I assume you are asking about the Philharmonie, the home of the Berlin Phil. I liked the sound very much, but there is very little leg room for us tall audience members. You can all around the orchestra, pretty cool.
No, I meant Berlin Hooker Hall in lower down town....
Of course I meant the Philharmonie. 'Jus 'cause I'm a jazz bassist don't mean I don't got no class. I've actually played there...Once with Stan Getz, once with Pharoah Sanders and twice with the very strange Ritchie Cole. The Bosendorfer Concert Grand Piano with the extended bass keyboard almost blew what little hair I had at the time off. I almost shat! I love the sound in that hall. Our hall here in Denver is designed on the same acoustical principals. It sucks, however.
I was just curious how orchestral basssists felt about the sound on stage.
Who cares about the audience anyway? PLEASE....That was my idea of a joke.
AND, unlike my friends I mentioned above, I'm not on drugs...at least not now.
Is there a moderator around that can split this thread, please ?
Well, the reason I asked is that there is also the Konzerthaus Berlin which is not too shabby either.
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