Obscure Music Monday: Bottesini's Grand Duetto No. 1 for Two Double Basses

Giovanni Bottesini (Dec. 22, 1821 - July 7, 1889) was an Italian conductor, composer, and double bass virtuoso, born in to a musical family. Young Bottesini learned much about music from his father, a clarinetist, and was playing timpani with an orchestra at the tender age of 11. He also played violin, and intended to study at the Milan Conservatory, but the his family was too poor to send him. The only instruments available for scholarship were the bassoon and double bass, and in a matter of weeks, Bottesini prepared a successful audition on the double bass. In just a few years he won a prize for his solo playing, and was dubbed the "Paganini of the Double Bass". Bottesini would go on to play in opera orchestras, and also had a successful conducting career as well.

Bottesini wrote a set of 3 Grand Duettos for two double basses, with the first in G major, and dedicated to Luigi Felice Rossi, an Italian composer and music theorist. This work is quintessential Bottesini; the three movements (Allegro, Andante, Polacca) all contain virtuosic writing for the instrument, but aren't limited to just that. Bottesini's music is incredibly melodic, and even sounds operatic at times. The two double bass parts are equally difficult, and take turns with the melodies and harmonies. Bottesini works the two parts together effortlessly throughout the piece; in the first movement it's through the beautiful top line with triplets underneath keeping the work moving ahead. In the second movement the first bass has highly ornamentalized melodies while the second is clearly playing a harmonic line, but it serves its purpose perfectly by augmenting the solo line and making it even more full and satisfying. The second part doesn't have it easy, either; there are many double stops throughout. In the fun third movement, both instruments have their work cut out for them, and they need to really listen and work well together with the various ritardandos and accelerandos throughout the work and the incredibly fast triplets. When it all comes together well, it's an amazing piece to listen to and play which amply displays all the capabilities of the double bass.

Here's a recording of this fun work for you to enjoy!*

Ovidiu Badila and Wolfgang Güttler

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