Mini-Bass Quartet No.3 was composed in the early 1990s and revised in February 2000 for Recital Music and The British & International Bass Forum (BIBF). There are effective musical and technical challenges, including percussive effects and simple harmonic passages in the lower positions, creating a wealth of atmospheric and tonal contrasts in the orchestral register. Although written for mini-basses, this quartet is accessible to players of all ages and offers many opportunities to demonstrate the pallete of colours available to the adventurous quartet.
Teppo Hauta-aho writes in a modern but accessible idiom and there are many opportunities for developing ensemble skills. There are three possible endings, enabling every performance to be unique.
"Teppo will be 70 this year and has been writing for groups of basses for at least 20 years. Indeed, this quartet was first written in the early 1990s. Teppo's experience ranges through orchestral, chamber, jazz and contemporary bass techniques. Mini-Bass Quartet No.3 draws particularly on the latter of these and would suit a quartet of teenagers interested in contemporary sounds and exploring the full sound world potential of the double bass. It is more lyrical than 'squeaky gate' in style and provides good material for teaching and performance. Bass 1 and 2 require experience roughly equivalent to grade 6 while basses 3 and 4 could be tackled by a grade 4 player." [ESTA]