Gustav Laska's Scherzo-Polka was originally for double bass and piano, in the key of A major, and included in Volume 1 of his Method for Double Bass. This new arrangement for double bass sextet, or massed basses, was created by David Heyes for a double bass workshop at Wells Cathedral School (Somerset, UK) and includes music for every level of bassist. Each part has a number of challenges but with the benefit of everyone having a share of the melodic material.

High harmonics are introduced for basses 3 and 4 (bars 53-60) and, once the shock and panic have disspiated, are quite simple to play and are a positive and accessible challenge even for less advanced bassists.

The music is tuneful and approachable and all the repeats are optional. It has worked well with massed basses at many bass workshops and allows players of all abilities to take part. Enjoy!

A score and one set of parts are included. Extra parts can be copied by the owner of the music for their own use but the score must not be copied.

Czech bassist, composer and conductor Gustav Laska, was born in Prague on 23 August 1847 and died in Schwerin (Germany) on 16 October 1928. He studied double bass at the Prague Conservatoire with Josef Hrabe from 1861-67 and also studied music theory with Johann Friedrich Kittl and composition with Josef Kreijci. After completing his studies Laska became a member of the Kasel orchestra in Germany and he travelled extensively between orchestras, giving virtuoso solo performances in Europe and America, and he was also the regular Principal Double Bass at the Bayreuth Festival.

Laska was a fairly prolific composer, writing many virtuosic works for double bass alongside symphonies, operas, vocal, piano and choral music.