Domenico Dragonetti
"The Famous Solo" for Double Bass and Orchestra
It is a bit of a paradox: one of Dragonetti’s showpiece, “The Famous Solo”, originally for double bass and orchestra, is largely unknown today. This cannot be down to the virtuoso work itself, but is more likely due to the unclear source situation with its different versions.
In this edition Tobias Glöckler presents Dragonetti’s autograph arrangement for double bass and string quartet for the first time.
About the Composer
Domenico Dragonetti
Italian double bassist and composer. In London he invented his special bowing technique; it facilitated an expressive, virtuosic style of playing that was adopted beyond the borders of London, for example by Gioacchino Rossini at the Paris Conservatoire. Aside from challenging solo and chamber music works for double bass, he wrote vocal music and transcribed works by himself and others.
| 1763 | Born in Venice on April 7. He learns violin and guitar as an autodidact. |
| around 1775 | He is trained by Michele Berini, double bassist at the Cappella di San Marco. He is soon engaged by various opera houses. |
| around 1781 | He is accepted into Venice’s “Arte dei Suonatori.” |
| 1787–99 | A member of the Cappella di San Marco. |
| 1795 | He meets Joseph Haydn. |
| 1799 | In Vienna he plays Ludwig van Beethoven’s Cello Sonata, op. 5 no. 2, while on stage with the composer himself. He relocates to London, where he enjoys great success as a soloist, chamber musician, and solo bassist at the King’s Theatre, the Philharmonic Society, and the Ancient Concerts. |
| 1808–ca. 1814 | Over the course of an extended journey, he ends up in Vienna. Here he meets Simon Sechter, who writes piano accompaniments and transcriptions of some of his works for double bass. |
| 1839 | He becomes a member of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. |
| 1845 | In Bonn he becomes involved with the Beethoven festival. |
| 1846 | Dies in London on April 16. |
About the Authors
Tobias Glöckler (Editor)
Tobias Glöckler is associate principal double bass player at the Dresdner Philharmonie and a prizewinner of the International ISB Double Bass Competition (USA). He studied with Konrad Siebach at the Music Conservatory in Leipzig, perfecting his skills with Jeff Bradetich (Chicago) and Ulrich Lau (Stuttgart). While studying, he was principal double bass player with the International Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra under Claudio Abbado. He has performed as a soloist with different orchestras, including the Dresdner Philharmonie with Ton Koopman. In addition he has made recordings for radio and has made guest appearances at diverse music festivals. He is a founding member of and solo bass player with the “ensemble frauenkirche” and has explored a great many chamber music works with the Dresdner String Quintet.
Glöckler teaches at the music conservatory in Dresden. His efforts concerning the revival of the “Viennese Tuning” have been rewarded with a Distinguished Achievement Award for historical performance practice.
Photo © markenfotografie
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