The Heritage Series series
The history of the double bass features many player-composers who created a wealth of music for bassists of all abilities. Recital Music publish a wide and eclectic range of music by these important figures from the history of the instrument, particularly from the 19th and early 20th-centuries, and more works are in preparation. Some names are well known today, others almost forgotten, but each made a valuable contribution to the repertoire of the double bass and helped create a unqiue repertoire which deserves to be performed.
Domenico Dragonetti (1763-1846) was the leading double bassist of his generation and lived in London from 1794 until his death. He was one of the highest paid orchestral musicians of his day and appeared at all the leading concerts and festivals in London and the provinces for over 50 years, alongside his continuo partner, the cellist Robert Lindley (1776-1855). Dragonetti often performed as a soloist during his first years in London and it likely that much of his music was written at this time.
In his will Dragonetti beqeathed his manuscripts to his good friend Vincent Novello, the composer and founder of Novello's publishing house, who donated them to the British Library a few years later on his retirement to Italy. The manuscripts have been a fascination to bassists for over 150 years and the 21st-century has seen a resurgence of interest in Dragonetti's music.
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 but much 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.
Dragonetti's Concerto in C major is also available with the original orchestration as PDF files [RMPDF001]
Solo Double Bass (orchestral tuning)
2 Oboes / 2 Horns / Strings
Please contact Recital Music (doublebass@tiscali.co.uk) for more details.
