American composer, James D'Angelo, has lived in Britain for many years and has composed a number of impressive works for double bass.

Fanfare for Five was one of a number of double bass fanfares commissioned by David Heyes for Bass-Fest @ Wells in April 2008. It is an intriguing and exciting fanfare which utilises the entire range of the ensemble. The composer uses five basses to widen the possibility of chord structures and to produce a richer accompaniment, and its strong rhythmic drive and forward momentum will create an immediate and striking effect for any concert.

Two important features of the fanfare are unified and dramatic rhythmic passages contrasting an effective canonic figure, usually building upwards from Bass 5. The composer writes in a modern but accessible idiom which offers much for the advanced bass quintet.

Fanfare for Five was premiered on 19 April 2008 at Wells Cathedral School (Somerset) by Mette Hanskov, Ben Groenevelt, Eloise Riddell, Myles Nadarajah and David Heyes.

Recital Music publish two other works by James D'Angelo:

RM027 - Fool and Angel entering a City for unaccompanied double bass
RM378 - Ode to St. Kilda for double bass quartet

James D'Angelo has had a varied career as a composer, pianist, organist, educator, course leader on Sound Therapy and writer. He has composed in most genres, except opera, and was formerly on the music faculty of the City College of New York and Golsmiths College, London. His work has been published and performed internationally and his song 'Elegy', set to words by Walt Whitman, was awarded First Prize at the Arklow International Music Festival in Ireland. In 2011 James D'Angelo founded Trio D'Angelo which has a growing performance diary in London and around Britain.