Partitions de Recital Music

This short work is lyrical within a tonally modern idiom with a simple but supportive chordal accompaniment. The style is confident and effective making use of the lower orchestral register of the double bass. 

American composer-bassist Armand Russell has created a wealth of music for double bass over the past fifty years and more recently has arranged a tasteful number of works for the instrument. This four movement sonata (Adagio Allegro Largo Presto) by Johann Joachim Quantz (1697-1773) offers a new and accessible transcription for the good intermediate bassist who is confident in low thumb position. Only available in orchestral tuning there are musical and technical challenges in equal measure and much to enjoy for performers and audiences alike. Sonata in G major is also available in two editions for double bass (or cello) trio andstring orchestra. The accompaniment is playable by piano or harpsichord and the limited range of dynamics allows each performer freedom to create their own unique performance and interpretation. 

Jurassic Jazz comprises three short pieces (Brontosaurus Bop / The Dozy Diplodocus / The T-Rex Rock) for the good beginner bassist. Written in a jazzy and accessible style there are simple rhythmic musical and technical challenges for the adventurous player set against a lively and supportive accompaniment. These are full of fun and energy and would be ideal early concert repertoire.

Although known primarily for his choral music Humphrey Clucas has written a number of successful works for double bass and his lively and easy going compositional style has been popular with players and teachers alike. Aimed at the good intermediate bassist (Grade 6/7) this suite is similar to the Bach Cello Suite format and consists of a Prelude followed by a set of dance-movements. Written in a lively and approachable style there are effective musical and technical challenges within the orchestral register and these would be ideal as both study and concert music. Baroque Suite was premiered by Eloise Riddell during Bass-Fest (2009) at Wells Cathedral School

Dragonetti's Concerto in C major is a charming and accessible three-movement work for the good intermediate bassist. The first movement is longer than the other two movements combined and is similar to Cimador's Concerto in G major in terms of structure and level of difficulty. This new edition for double bass and piano is in orchestral tuning and includes two double bass parts - one edited and corrected by David Heyes and a second copy which is a newly typset version of Dragonetti's original wrong notes and all! The music is lively and rhythmic dramatic and lyrical and this new edition brings this long forgotten work back to life. There are few technical challenges butmuch to enjoy particularly in the orchestral register of the instrument and this is ideal as both a study work and also for the concert hall. Few dynamics were included in the original manuscript and editorial ones have been added in brackets []. Wrong notes and missing accidentals have been added which can be compared between the two solo parts and a new piano accompaniment which is both lively and supportive has been created for this first edition.

Humphrey Clucas is known for a wide range of choral and vocal music alongside a growing body of instrumental music and this beautiful and evocative song is set to words by A.E. Housman. Originally for voice and lute Evenfall also works well with piano accompaniment and the edition includes versions for high voice (A minor) and low voice (E minor). The accompaniment is simple and supportive allowing the flowing melody to soar above with a tonal and accessible style which should appeal to singers of all ages and abilities.Humphrey Clucas was born in 1941 and read English at King's College Cambridge where he was also a Choral Scholar. Having taught Englishfor twenty-seven years he subsequently became a Lay Vicar at Westminster Abbey but is now retired. As a composer he is self taught and although he is well-known for a set of Anglican Responses written as an undergraduate almost all his serious music has been written over the last twenty-five years. He has a growing reputation as a choral composer and has produced an impressive and steady stream of choral works both sacred and secular alongside much instrumental music. He has written works for Cathedrals in Chichester Guildford Salisbury and Winchester as well as for King's College Cambridge Southwell Minster and Westminster Abbey.

Armand Russell writes: 'Divergent Dances is divided into six sections of which the odd numbered sections are rather slow and the evne numbered ones much faster. The three odd numbered sections are first a theme and then two variations. The three even numbered sections are named as Fast Dance 1 2 and 3. Each one is different but use very similar ways of creating their themes using steps and small skips often in succession. The overall effect of the form is that of a small rondo (ABACAD). Each of the sections uses a different diatonic mode. These are in order G Phrygian E Aeolian D Ionian F Mixolydian A Dorian and G Lydian. The sections alternate approaches tointerpretation as well as tempos. The odd numbered sections and lyrical and more expressive and the odd numbered sections more rhythmic. Throughout but especially in the odd numbered sections there is a need for the player to decide whether to finger the music to achieve a darker effect using cross strings in higher positions or a brighter effect with more shifts which use lower positions when possible. This is the player's choice and may be played differently in different sections or for each performance. The music does not use thumb position.' Divergent Dances was premiered by Nic Lum (double bass) and Gemma Beeson (piano) at Wells Cathedral School (Somerset UK) on Sunday 2 October 2011.

Capriccio di Bravura (Solo Tuning) for Strings [Full Score and Parts] Instrumentation String parts 4.3.2.2.1