Thank you, Steve. I have joined and have a preliminary skim. I also have a small collection of old tutors to contribute with, as well as some other old music and Murray Grodner's two first two Catalogues of then possibly available music and publishers (in the 60s). Now 79 I have pondered about the future of my library of music that has built up since beginning on bass in 1963.
Our local music examining system called the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) recently commissioned an upgrade of the Double Bass syllabus that rewrote the repertoire according to available music today. This almost totally excluded some previous old publishers and pieces. The AMEB also published its own Technical Work Book for Grades Preliminary and 1 to 8, and repertoire books for Preliminary, 1 to 4. Most local teachers (there are not many!) and their students are attracted to these publications and examinations. In my more cynical moments I think that I could teach to these standards with a small fraction of my library or, if I stopped teaching, I could happily see out my playing days even fewer of my favourite pieces and studies.
So, thanks again, Steve, for re-igniting my interest in old music and tutors. I have also always been interested in learning about and meeting some of the older players , one of whom (Bob Waddington) was a fascinating character. He was a stone mason, blacksmith and bassist in the old silent movie theatres in Sydney, and was recognised as Australia's first jazz bassist (in a visiting American Dixie band). He was also one of the three original Basses in the original 1936 Sydney Symphony Orchestra ln which he became Principal for a while in the 50s. I met him in my 20s when he was in his 70s and we used to enjoy talking about the Good Old Days. He also gave me some of his old music and tutors.
