The A night at the Opera series
The world of opera has long inspired composers and players to plunder the best arias and melodies to transcribe for other instruments. The double bass is no exception and Bottesini's operatic fantasias are still at the very heart of our solo repertoire into the 21st-century.
Recital Music publish a number of opera transcriptions - works for double bass and piano or double bass ensemble - and there are many more works in various stages of publication. It's difficult to keep a good tune down!
This Intermezzo was especially composed for the first performance of Granados' opera 'Goyescas' at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on 28 January 1916 and is not included in the original score. This new edition by David Heyes is based on the original piano reduction created by the composer, transposed from E flat major into E major (solo tuning) and D major (orchestral tuning), and includes accompaniments for both tunings.
Intermezzo is a wonderfully evocative, atmospheric and dramatic scena for double bass and piano. Full of Spanish flavour and influences, it offers musical and technical challenges in equal measure and would be suitable for any concert or audience.
Spanish pianist-composer Enrique Granados, was born in Lerida on 27 May 1867 and studied in Barcelona and Paris. He was active in many aspects of musical life, as a composer, pianist and teacher, also collaborating with many important musicians of the day.
His two volumes of 'Goyescas' for solo piano, based on the pictures and tapestries of the great Spanish painter Goya (1746-1828), were said to have created a modern Spanisg repertoire for piano. From these pieces Granados composed the opera 'Goyescas', which should have been premiered in Paris but, due to the First World War, it was transferred to America and premiered at the Metropolitan Opera House on 28 January 1916.
The composer was present for the premiere and on the return voyage to Europe both he and his wife were killed in the English Channel when the 'Sussex' was torpedoed by a German submarine.