Written for David Heyes as part of his 'Fizz at 50' project. 'Gerty Goat Scuffer' (in case you wondered) is one of many nick-names we had for a much loved family dog - officially named 'Heavy Hetty' from a character in an imaginative children's book of that name. In my youth as a composition student at the RAM I discovered that walking a dog for an hour a day is the anti-dote to the long hours required as a composer 'sat you yer bum' writing at a desk and (in those pre-computer years) writing endless parts out by hand. First of these 'best friends' was a glorious Gordon Setter called 'Sophie' (my first love) who accompanied Pat and I on our honeymoon acrossScotland. Thirty years later we were privileged to enjoy the company of three therapeutic beasts; 'Merlin' (a prize winning Pyrenean Mountain Dog) 'Gael' (an over energetic Scottish Border Collie) and 'Hetty' (a unique cross between a Pyrenean Mountain Dog and a St. Bernard - something of a 'kennel-maid's Accident'). Hetty (see picture) is unfortunately no longer with us now. She had an extraordinary puppy-hood that left her with titanium plates holding her back legs together. Hetty was surprisingly active though right through to the age of nearly 10 - speciality: chasing Pheasants in the grounds at Strathmashie - but she became progressively hampered by arthritis and 'scuffed along' on her vast hairy pads with a swagger. She also used to remind our children of a mountain goat. Songs have been written about her but this is the first instrumental work that she has inspired! The pervading thematic motive of the piece (heard from the outset) cheekily alludes to an (over) famous Saint-Saëns work for double bass (but no insult is intended to Hetty!). The increasingly roving tonality and unusually sudden shifts of key combined with the use of jazz chords combines to present a short but heartfelt tribute to a unique animal that provided untold pleasure to all she came into contact with simply by just being

Concert Pieces for Double Bass and Piano-This collection of pieces for the Double Bass and Piano has been created specifically for young Double Bass players who are wishing to start performing in public. The 19 concert pieces featured are easy to rehearse yet sound effective. With works from the Baroque Classical and Romantic periods as well as newly composed pieces by the Polish Bass player Boguslaw Furtok Concert Pieces For Double Bass And Piano offers great variety. Ideal for musicians following the Barenreiter Early Start On The Double Bass method the pieces featured in this book are all of a easy-medium level of difficulty.

This new publication replaces the old Latham edition (now out of print) - popular title on both ABRSM and TG double bass syllabuses (grade 7).Dennis Leogrande writes:I began writing the melody first although every piece begins differently. I wanted to begin with a sound that for me is very characteristic of the bass that being the ½ step slide from G# to A. Looking throughout the piece you will notice other slides ie. bars 1 3 5 7 12 14 16 18 38 58 114 116 18 120 123 125 and 127. Please don't forget to notice the grace note slide in measure 100. These are the melodic motifs that give the piece its character and act as hooks(memorable ideas) for the listener to latch on to. Once I began writing the melody it just grew organically from the original idea. I hope you feel the same organic growth. The shifting harmonic tonalities (between D major and D minor) seem to ask the question 'May I?' and keep the listener involved in trying to answer the question. The jazz style keeps the 'question' light hearted a little 'tongue in cheek.' However playing this piece requires attention to these details and a great deal of musicianship. It's the fine musician who understands both the music and the instrument who can make a difficult and complicated piece sound easy light and fun. Oh and yes please enjoy!

Very little is known about the two sonatas which appear here in their original keys. They were placed in the library of the Music School in Oxford at the end of the seventeenth century in a form convenient for playing (i.e. unbound). The library was catalogued by Hake between 1850 and 1855 and the sonatas were eventually bound in 1855 with other instrumental and vocal manuscripts of the same period some of which are dated 1698.The sonatas are both inscribed on the title page Sonata à Violone Solo. Col Basso per l'Organo o Cembalo. A third sonata bears the words Sonata à Violino e Violoncino … di Giovannino del Violone. Giovannino(=Little or Young John) must have been a performer and although the third sonata has been copied by a different hand it is conceivable that Giovannino is a connecting link between the three. He cannot however be assumed to be their author.The Violone was a six-stringed instrument with frets and there is evidence to suggest that the Contrabasso of the same period was similar but probably a little larger; the Violoncino (=Little Violone or Violoncello) must have been smaller. The word 'Violone' was also used as a collective term embracing all members of the Viol family which means that the sonatas might well have been written for a tenor or a bass Viol and not necessarily a Violone as such. Indeed when they are played on a Violone or Double Bass the continuo bass line must be played at a lower pitch than the solo instrument to prevent inversion of the intended harmony. (The use of a Violone/Double Bass continuo or 16' organ tone would overcome this problem.)The editor has added no ornaments or embellishments to the solo part as it appears in the original manuscript. It is open to debate whether a Violone player owing to the very nature of his instrument would have used any but the simplest melodic decorations. Nevertheless the performer should acquaint himself thoroughly with those seventeenth century traditions that

With this cornerstone of the Double Bass repertoire we continue a still young but important part of our catalogue. This musically-charming work full of technical trickery is with justification demanded time and again as atest piece or set piece for competitions. In order to accommodate the ?Viennese tuning? used at the time we also provide a solo part in fret notation. The Piano part in D major and E major (!) can be used to accompany the DoubleBass part either in its solo or orchestral version. As an alternative to the familiar cadenzas by Sperger editor Tobias Glöckler has added two further tuneful and stylistically-appropriate cadenzas of his own.

Swedish bassist, cellist, composer and arranger Lars Danielsson is renowned and admired throughout the International jazz world for his lyrical melodies and strong groove. This collection brings together 20 Impromptus For Piano And 1 Solo Piece For Contrabass, composed by Danielsson in his idiosyncratic style. Born in 1958, Danielsson originally studied classical Cello at the conservatory in Gothenburg before changing to Bass and jazz. He has since become one of the most in-demand bassists in the world, recognised and admired for his rounded sound that's both lyrical and powerful. Having played with a virtually endless list of international stars, including Michael and Randy Brecker, John Scofield and Charles Lloyd, Danielsson's track record as a leader is equally unparalleled, bringing his talent for simple and catchy melodies together with his instinct for putting together groups of musicians. If you're a fan of Lars Danielsson, or you just want some fantastic jazz tunes to play for Solo Piano, with an extra piece for Contrabass, this collection of 20 Impromptus has been selected by the artist himself and is sure to satisfy any progressive pianist.