Digital download of complete score and all parts (no physical score or parts)

Program Notes

The Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra  was the result of several sources of inspiration.  Conductor Jonathan Pasternack dreamed up the idea of the creation of a new piece for the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra to celebrate their 90thAnniversary in their 2022/23 Season. The idea for the concerto for double bass and orchestra was a combination of the desire to add to the repertoire for the double bass and having an incredible double bass player, Steve Schermer, to premiere it. 

 In deciding the general stylistic approach to the piece, I wanted to create something that would be virtuosic and fun for the bass soloist, the would be engaging and interesting for the orchestra, and expressive and exciting for the audience.  It was inspirational to be in contact with both the conductor and the bassist through the composing of this piece.  Steve’s hope was for something lyrical, expressive, with a lot of tension and release, and also to use the full range of the double bass (a lot of bass concertos favor the highest range).  This sounded perfect to me. 

 The Concerto is in three movements: Lacrimosa, Scherzo, and Pesante furioso.  The Lacrimosa is the most serious and dramatic movement.  Many composers have written movements called lacrimosa or lacrimae, referring to tears.  This past year involved some very painful losses for both the bassist and for me, and this movement expresses some of that grief. The main motive that runs through the piece is 4 notes, with a major 2nd descending and a minor 3rd ascending, then Major 3rd descending, with a dotted rhythm that reappears often.  This is heard first in the double bass opening statement, low and solitary.  It is then heard throughout the movement, including in a duet between piccolo and bass harmonics, and then is extended to form the melody for the climax.  At the loudest point, the bass blends into the fabric of the orchestra, with everyone at a fortissimo – the woodwinds and upper strings in a flurry of runs, the brass doing glissandi, and the low strings and low winds pounding out the 4-note motive.   After this, the ending is quiet and lonely.

 The Scherzo  lightens the mood, with bouncy, syncopated rhythms.  The winds get to take a break (tacet), leaving just strings and percussion.  All of the strings play entirely pizzicato – they don’t use their bows at all. The percussion gets to pull out some of their fun auxiliary instruments – temple bells, vibraslap, castanets, bongos among them. In the middle of the movement, the bass plays a 7-note pattern over the percussion 3-beat pattern, intentionally feeling loose and ungrounded. In the bass part, you’ll hear glissandos and slapping the strings.

 The pesante furioso is the high-energy climax of the piece. Short, driving, accented motives are tossed between the bass and the orchestra.  The music is often somewhat dissonant, but always directional.  A challenge in composing for bass is balance between the bass and the orchestra.  Rather than thinning the orchestra, in this movement, I chose to have them alternate quickly, so the orchestra could play with fullness and energy without covering the bass.  The middle of this movement slows to a dark, mysterious scene, with a persistent 4-note ostinato that is traded through the winds, brass, percussion, strings, and harp.  Fairly quickly, the music returns to the virtuosic, driving bass themes, pushing toward the dramatic final repetition of the opening statement.