Two Arias

Soprano, Double Bass, Piano
Composer: Giovanni Bottesini

Product code:

RMD1161
Publisher:

£12.50

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Description

Une Bouche Aimée is originally by Charles Gounod (1818-1893) and is based on ‘My Beloved Spake’, for soprano, violoncello obbligato, and piano. Composed in London in 1871/72 and setting words from ‘The Song of Solomon’, Bottesini transcribed it for voice, double bass, and piano, transposing it into a lower key and adding new words.

Tutto il Mondo Serra is a transcription of Frederic Chopin’s ‘Étude in C sharp minor’ Op.25, No.7, originally for solo piano, but also transcribed by many others for different instrumental combinations. The words for both arias are by an unknown author and are unlikely to be by Bottesini.

Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) was the greatest double bass virtuoso of the 19th- century and many of his compositions for double bass are still at the heart of the solo repertoire today. He spent much of his life in the opera house, as conductor and composer, and his music is inspired by the lyrical, cantabile, and virtuosic pyrotechnics of 19th-century Italian opera. He also transcribed a number of works for his own recitals and both arias are attributed to Bottesini but are in fact by other composers.

The double bass part in the piano accompaniment includes the original Bottesini bowings, and the printed solo parts are edited by David Heyes.

“How he bewildered us by playing all sorts of melodies in flute-like harmonics, as though he had a hundred nightingales caged in his double bass… I never wearied of his consummate grace and finish, his fatal precision, his heavenly tone, his fine taste. One sometimes yearned for a touch of human imperfection, but he was like a dead shot; he never missed what he aimed at, and he never aimed at less than perfection.” [H.Haweis, 1888]

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Description

Une Bouche Aimée is originally by Charles Gounod (1818-1893) and is based on ‘My Beloved Spake’, for soprano, violoncello obbligato, and piano. Composed in London in 1871/72 and setting words from ‘The Song of Solomon’, Bottesini transcribed it for voice, double bass, and piano, transposing it into a lower key and adding new words.

Tutto il Mondo Serra is a transcription of Frederic Chopin’s ‘Étude in C sharp minor’ Op.25, No.7, originally for solo piano, but also transcribed by many others for different instrumental combinations. The words for both arias are by an unknown author and are unlikely to be by Bottesini.

Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) was the greatest double bass virtuoso of the 19th- century and many of his compositions for double bass are still at the heart of the solo repertoire today. He spent much of his life in the opera house, as conductor and composer, and his music is inspired by the lyrical, cantabile, and virtuosic pyrotechnics of 19th-century Italian opera. He also transcribed a number of works for his own recitals and both arias are attributed to Bottesini but are in fact by other composers.

The double bass part in the piano accompaniment includes the original Bottesini bowings, and the printed solo parts are edited by David Heyes.

“How he bewildered us by playing all sorts of melodies in flute-like harmonics, as though he had a hundred nightingales caged in his double bass… I never wearied of his consummate grace and finish, his fatal precision, his heavenly tone, his fine taste. One sometimes yearned for a touch of human imperfection, but he was like a dead shot; he never missed what he aimed at, and he never aimed at less than perfection.” [H.Haweis, 1888]

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More Info

EditorDavid Heyes
OrchestrationSoprano, Double Bass, Piano
Publishers numberRMD1161

Contents

About the Composer

Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) was the greatest double bass virtuoso of the 19th- century and many of his compositions for double bass are still at the heart of the solo repertoire today. He spent much of his life in the opera house, as conductor and composer, and his music is inspired by the lyrical, cantabile, and virtuosic pyrotechnics of 19th-century Italian opera. Bottesini was known as ‘the Paganini of the double bass’ and was one of the greatest musical superstars of his day.

About the Arranger

About the Editor

David Heyes (b.1960) studied double bass with Laurence Gray and Bronwen Naish, later at the Royal College of Music in London, and completed his post-graduate studies in Prague with František Pošta (Principal Bass, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He has given recitals and masterclasses in 20 countries over the past few years and has been a juror at a number of international competitions, three times as chairman. David’s collaborative work gained him a prestigious award from the David Walter Charitable Trust of New York for his pioneering activities as a soloist, teacher, publisher, and commissioner of new music for double bass and he works with composers throughout the world to expand the double bass repertoire by commissioning new music and by rediscovering forgotten ones. Since 1983 more than 700 works have been written for him, music from one to twenty basses and from beginner to virtuoso, and he has premiered ten contemporary concertos with orchestra. David began to compose in 2013 and has had music performed and recorded in 29 countries across five continents. He is a D’Addario Performing Artist and has recently commissioned a solo double bass from British master-luthier Martin Penning.