Obscure Music Monday: Dragonetti's 12 Waltzes, No. 11

Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti (April 7, 1763 – April 16, 1846) was a double bass virtuoso and composer, born in Venice, Italy. He lived there for 30 years and worked at various opera houses before moving to London, England. There he played at the King's Theatre, and lived there the rest of his life. Dragonetti knew Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven, and showed them both the possibilities of the double bass as a solo instrument, and also about writing orchestral double bass parts.

Dragonetti, in addition to being a virtuoso, also wrote several works for double bass, including 12 Waltzes: short pieces for unaccompanied double bass that work well on a recital, or as encore. They're each quite short, with a focus on both melody and technical ability. No. 11 starts with two notes that then jump up a major sixth that then travel down before going back up in a chromatic way. This work can be shaped and molded to the player's wishes, slowing down and speeding up sections as the music calls for it. The piece mixes lyrical lines with some shorter staccato lines across a wide range on the instrument, making it a great work to showcase a variety of strengths. The bassist will have a fun musical and technical challenge on their hands, and audiences will be delighted with such an entertaining piece.

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

Robbert Oppelt