TECHNICAL EXERCISES FOR DOUBLE BASS: A study of selected methods and their effect on the development of performance technique.

Abstract

In the twentieth century the double bass performance technique was highly developed. The contemporary double bassists usually must reconcile multiple roles: be highly specialized soloists, symphonic, opera or chamber orchestra musicians and sometimes also as teachers. To meet the requirements of an extensive repertoire musicians have to be versatile and well educated. This work is based on research about technical exercises and method books used by double bassists to develop their technique. The thesis includes a list of available and commonly used books and exercises together with information about them and their composers. Some technical problems in double bass playing are also discussed, and there is also a short overview of double bass history. In the practical part of the thesis the author worked on selected method books and exercises and made an evaluation of their effect on playing on double bass, particularly with regard to two double bass concertos: the Concerto in D by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf and the Concerto in B by Giovanni Bottesini.