Informationen zu "Antonio Vivaldi Ed: George Speed Six Sonatas: Book 2 - Sonatas 4-6 (Solo tuning) Double Bass & Piano"
Verlag: Recital Music
Verlagsnummer: RM1015
EAN: 9990093814015
Beschreibung
SOLO TUNING This edition is also available as a pdf file - please contact
Recital Music (doublebass@tiscali.co.uk) My exploration of the Vivaldi cello
sonatas began in 1994 after I heard my mentor, Edgar Meyer, perform a
stunningly beautiful rendition of Sonata No. 6 at Vanderbilt University.
Edgar opted for a minimalist approach to the music, accompanied simply by a
bass line in the piano and with very few embellishments in the solo line. At
around the same time, I discovered the playing of French cellist Christophe
Coin, whose expressive and historically informed recording of the six sonatas
I admire to this day. With these two great artists as my principal
influences, I thus began a 20-year-long journey of study and appreciation for
Vivaldi's works. I enjoy these pieces for their relative simplicity, but
also for their musical vibrancy. I have examined earlier Vivaldi sonata
transcriptions in which the solo bass part sounds an octave below original
pitch, and while one can certainly appreciate Vivaldi's genius in those
editions even the best performances lack a certain brilliance of sound. In my
transcriptions I have attempted to capture the original, virtuosic spirit of
the pieces, while at the same time showcasing the natural timbre and
resonance of the bass. I have sought to select an idiomatic key and
flattering tessitura for each sonata ? neither too low nor too high for
effective performance on the bass ? and I have also allowed for performance
in either orchestral or solo tuning, depending on the needs and preferences
of the performer. The only sonata that retains its original key and tessitura
is the third, which sounds in A minor when played in solo tuning. The others
range from a fifth below original pitch (Sonata No. 5, originally in E minor,
transposed to A minor in orchestral tuning) to a minor second below original
pitch (Sonata No. 1, originally in B-flat major, transposed to A major in
solo tuning). A secondary, but no less important, issue is the style of the
accompaniment. I enjoy playing these pieces with a simple bass line
accompaniment, but I recognize that most players prefer a more substantial
and supportive keyboard accompaniment. My main concern was avoiding an overly
busy or convoluted piano part, a problem that I've experienced with many 20th
century transcriptions of Baroque repertoire. I therefore tried to keep the
keyboard texture as transparent as possible while still providing adequate
support for the solo line. In most instances the piano part is limited to 2
contrapuntal lines, or simply block chords, thus allowing the solo part to
shine. My principal source for these transcriptions was the first printed
edition of the works, published in Paris by Le Clerc in around 1740. In
addition, I used two primary sources that predate the more standard Le Clerc:
a manuscript of Sonatas 1-6 from the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, and a
manuscript of Sonata 6 from the library of the Counts of
Schönborn-Wiesentheid in Wiesentheid, Germany. I hope that my transcriptions
inspire many other bassists to explore these fantastic works of art. George
Speed August 2018 Bassist GEORGE SPEED enjoys a career that combines
teaching with solo, chamber, and orchestral performing. He is Associate
Professor of Double Bass at Oklahoma State University and Principal Bass of
the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. In 2016, Mr. Speed joined the artist faculty
of the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, North Carolina. Orchestral playing is
central to Mr. Speed's career. Prior to his appointment with the OKC
Philharmonic, he held a position with the (now defunct) Florida Philharmonic
Orchestra. For 17 years Mr. Speed was a regular player with the Boston Pops
Esplanade Orchestra, including numerous television broadcasts and domestic
and international tours. He has also performed with the Boston Symphony,
Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, and Handel and Haydn Society, among
others. Mr. Speed is passionate about both chamber music and solo
performance. A frequent recitalist, he also plays regularly with the Oklahoma
City-based chamber ensemble Brightmusic. In August 2018, Centaur Records
released Mr. Speed's recording of his Vivaldi cello sonata transcriptions. A
devoted educator, Mr. Speed received the 2009 Wise-Diggs-Berry Award for
Teaching Excellence in the Arts at Oklahoma State University. In 2005, he was
a co-founder of the Oklahoma Bass Bash, a summer clinic for Oklahoma
pre-college bassists. The Bass Bash, now in its fourteenth year, is a
thriving collaborative effort between OSU and the University of Oklahoma. A
native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Mr. Speed earned his Bachelor of Music
degree, summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music,
and his Master of Music degree from Boston University. Additional studies
include two summers at both the Aspen Music Festival and the Tanglewood Music
Center. His principal teachers have been Edwin Barker, Edgar Meyer, and Bill
Scott.
