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 famous cello and bass solo is playable by sextet or larger forces. The melodic material is shared between basses 3-6 and is a useful way to study this evocative aria in a bass ensemble setting. The music is dark, sinister and dramatic, always effective and atmospheric, and offers many musical and technical challenges for the good intermediate ensemble.
Useful as both study and concert repertoire and for any youth orchestra or college bass section looking something which offers effective musical challenges but is also great to play.
Performance Level: 7;8.
