The great Double Bassists in classical music
The greatest double bassists in classical music have left their mark on the history of music and played a significant role in the evolution of the instrument. Among the most famous are Domenico Dragonetti, Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Franz Simandl, and Giuseppe Antonio Capuzzi.
Giovanni Paulo Bottesini, born on December 22, 1821, in Crema, Lombardy, and died on July 7, 1889, in Parma, was an Italian double bassist, composer, and conductor. He conducted the premiere of Verdi’s Aida in Cairo on December 24, 1871, during the inauguration of the Suez Canal. In 1888, he became director of the Parma Conservatory upon Verdi’s recommendation. Known for his virtuosity on the double bass, he was nicknamed “the Paganini of the double bass” by his contemporaries. He also contributed to making the double bass a solo instrument.
Giuseppe Antonio Capuzzi, born on August 1, 1755, in Breno and died on March 28, 1818, in Bergamo, was an Italian violinist and composer. Although popular in his time, most of his music is now forgotten. His best-known piece is his double bass concerto, discovered at the British Museum by Philip Catelinet and dedicated to Kavalier Marcantonio Montenigo.
Giambattista Cimador, also known as Giovanni Battista Cimadoro, was an Italian composer, violinist, and editor of vocal and instrumental music. Born in Venice in 1761, he was a member of a noble Venetian family. He studied violin, cello, and pianoforte in Venice and was considered a virtuoso. He wrote several works, including a double bass concerto for the virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti.
Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf was an Austrian composer and violinist, born in Vienna on November 2, 1739, and died on October 24, 1799, at Rothlotta Castle in Bohemia. He left around 200 works, including nearly 100 symphonies, 40 concertos, and several comic operas. His most performed works are his pieces for double bass, including two concertos for the instrument, as well as a trumpet concerto.
Hans Fryba, born on April 24, 1899, in Reisenberg as Johann Frýba and died on January 3, 1986, in Gramatneusiedl, was an Austrian double bass virtuoso and composer. He is known for having used the six cello suites BWV 1007–1012 by Johann Sebastian Bach as a model for his own suite published in 1954, which is in baroque style. Fryba was the first double bassist to perform Bach’s suites and inspired many imitators, such as the Frenchman Édouard Nanny. The main originality of his piece is that it was written directly for the modern double bass tuned in fourths, which optimally uses fingering possibilities.
Serge Koussevitzky was a Russian-American conductor and composer, born on July 14, 1874, in Vyshny Volochyok and died on June 4, 1951, in Boston. He is best known for his prestigious leadership of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1924 to 1949, and for his role as a patron for many young composers of his time. Koussevitzky began his musical studies at the age of 14 at the Moscow Philharmonic Institute, where he learned music theory and double bass, which became his preferred instrument. He became a double bassist in the Bolshoi Theatre orchestra at age 20, and principal bassist in 1901. He also composed a Double Bass Concerto inspired by Tchaikovsky in 1902. Koussevitzky also commissioned works from his contemporaries, such as Maurice Ravel for his famous orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Paul Hindemith, Stravinsky, and Albert Roussel for the Boston Symphony’s 50th anniversary. He was also a teacher and counted Leonard Bernstein among his students.
Adolf Mišek was a Czechoslovak double bassist and composer of the post-romantic period, born on August 28, 1875, and died on October 20, 1955. He studied with Franz Simandl at the Vienna Conservatory before joining the Vienna Opera orchestra at age 23 as a double bassist. In 1918, he moved to Prague to join the National Theatre as principal double bassist and soloist, a position he held until his death in 1955.
Édouard Nanny was a French double bassist, composer, and teacher, born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye on March 24, 1872, and died in Paris on October 12, 1942. Although his two concertos are important, his most influential work was as a teacher, notably through his pedagogical method. He taught at the Paris Conservatory until 1940.
Jean-Marc Rollez was a French double bassist, born on July 7, 1931, in Croix and died on August 6, 2020, in Doué-en-Anjou. He studied piano then double bass and earned first prizes at the Conservatory of Roubaix and the National Superior Conservatory of Paris. He held positions in the Monte-Carlo Orchestra, the ORTF Orchestra, the Lamoureux Orchestra, the Pasdeloup Orchestra, the National Theatre of the Opéra-Comique, and the Paris Opera. He also taught at the Institute of Advanced Musical Studies in Montreux and was the author of renowned methods such as “The Virtuoso Double Bassist” and the 3 exercise books, chromaticism and string crossing exercises.
Franz Simandl, born on August 1, 1840, and died on December 15, 1912, was a Czech double bassist and teacher known for his book “New Method for the Double Bass,” which is still used as a reference today. His method uses the first, second, and fourth fingers of the left hand to play notes in the lower register of the instrument and divides the fingerboard into different positions.Simandl’s “new method,” over a century old, remains popular among classical double bassists, although it is gradually being replaced by newer methods incorporating modern pedagogical theory. Modern adaptations, extensions, and challenges to Simandl’s doctrines are acknowledged.
Simandl studied at the Prague Conservatory with Josef Hrabě before becoming principal bassist of the Court Opera Orchestra in Vienna. He taught double bass at the Vienna Conservatory from 1869 to 1910. His students included many leading bassists of his time, such as Ludwig Manoly. He also moved to New York to become principal bass of the New York Philharmonic and was an influential teacher.
Simandl’s lineage of double bass teachers spans many generations. Adolf Mišek, Richard Davis, Mark Dresser, Joseph Guastafeste, Greg Sarchet, Gary Karr, Hermann Reinshagen, Karl EH Seigfried, Ludwig Streicher, Bertram Turetzky, and Frederick Zimmermann are prominent bassists/educators who can trace their lineage directly back to Simandl.