Double Bass Notes

Double Bass: Introduction

  • The double bass is the final string instrument covered in this module.
  • It is the lowest-sounding instrument in the string family.
  • The double bass has been a part of music since early times and is present in nearly every musical ensemble.

Historical Origins

  • The double bass originated in the early 1500s.
  • It evolved from two main instruments:
    • Viola de Gamba: Named for being held between the legs for stability.
    • Violone: An early ancestor of the double bass still in use today; belongs to the viola family.

Baroque Period

  • The double bass was popular during the Baroque period.
  • The use of the Violone and Viola de Gamba limited performance opportunities for the double bass.
  • Composers were hesitant to include the double bass due to its less advanced playing technique.
  • The cello was generally considered the bass instrument of the strings during this period.

Classical Period

  • Some bassists gained recognition for their abilities, including:
    • Johannes Sperger.
    • Joseph Camper. They were recognized as soloists and composers.
    • Domenico Dragonetti was highly regarded and played Beethoven's symphonies.

Romantic Period

  • The double bass flourished during the Romantic period.
  • Giovanni Bodizini was a double bass virtuoso, known as the "Paganini of the double bass."
  • Composers began writing more demanding music for the orchestral double bass.
  • The double bass became a standard instrument in the symphony orchestra.
  • Composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn wrote passages that demanded great technique and precise intonation.
  • Mahler, Verdi, and Brahms wrote solo passages for the double bass.

Twentieth Century and Beyond

  • The double bass became more frequently used in various musical ensembles.
  • Its resonant timbre and expressive character were highly valued.
  • Jazz and early pop music utilized the double bass for its rhythmic foundation.
  • Jazz bassists were required to improvise music.
  • The jazz band's rhythm section typically included the double bass, piano, and drums.
  • Notable jazz bassists: Charles Mingus, Ray Brown, and Ron Carter.
  • Pizzicato, where the strings are plucked rather than bowed, became a jazz trademark for bassists.
  • Extended techniques have expanded the sonic possibilities of the double bass.
  • The double bass technique continues to evolve within the classical world.
  • Listening to the double bass as a concert instrument is quite common.

Conclusion

  • The double bass has come a long way from its early beginnings.
  • Many young students now learn the double bass at summer camps worldwide.