Adagio in A major

SKU: BR.DV-8109

ISBN 9790200482898. 10 x 13 inches.

Johann Matthias Sperger, no doubt the leading double bass player of his time, was born on 23 March 1750 in the Lower Austrian town of Feldsberg (today Valtice, Czech Republic). After studying in Vienna and occupying various posts in Pressburg and Eberau, he was hired by Grand Duke Friedrich Franz I of Mecklenburg-Schwerin for the Duke's court ensemble in Ludwigslust. There Sperger died on 13 May 1812, a highly esteemed man. His extensive compositional oeuvre (which includes 45 symphonies, chamher works, church music and concertos) found its climax in his works for double bass solo. His 18 concertos, sonatas and chamber works for various instrumental comhinations off er the soloist gratifying musical tasks both from a musical as well as a technical point of view. The Adagio for Double Bass and String Quartet was composed around 1796/97, no doubt for the composer's own use. The autograph belongs to the Landesbibliothek Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (class. no. Mus. 5179). The work is based on thematic material from the second movement of Anton Franz Hoffmeister's Double Bass Concerto No. 3. The relationship between the two works and the mutual influence of both composers is plainly visible.In order to allow a performance of this charming little work without a string quartet, we are also offering a version with piano accompaniment (DVfM 8109) as well. Since the original solo part was written for a double bass tuned in thirds and a fourth (Viennese tuning: A-D-F sharp-A), it was necessary to arrange the enclosed for the solo tuning customary today: F sharp-B-E-A. The editor and publisher wish to thank the Landesbibliothek Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for its permission to print this first edition. Klaus Trumpf, Munich, Spring 1997 Klaus Trumpf

Sperger, musician at the Mecklenburg court in Ludwigslust, achieved fame above all with his works for double bass. Thematically, the A major Adagio closely recalls Anton Franz Hoffmeister's Double Bass Concerto No. 3.