An Historical Survey of Double Bass Pedagogy and Performance Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Boyd, Joseph Thomas Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 04/10/2021 09:28:22 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624708 AN HISTORICAL SURVEY OF DOUBLE BASS PEDAGOGY AND PERFORMANCE by Joseph Thomas Boyd A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 78 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SCHOOL OF MUSIC ï hereby recommend that this document prepared under my direction by JOSEPH THOMAS BOYD entitled AN HISTORICAL SURVEY OF DOUBLE BASS PEDAGOGY AND PERFORMANCE be accepted in partial fulfillment of the degree Doctor of Musical Arts. k )/44.-4 -2-F/ 11'78' Dr. Gordon Eppez Date Major Professor After reading this final copy of the document indicated above, the following members of the Final Examination Committee concur in its approval and recommend its acceptance: Professor John Fer 1 Professor Theodorà Mc1rillan Date of Final Examination 'a281 1978" PREFACE This document was written in preparation for a Lecutre Recital presented in the School of Music at the University of Arizona on September 30, 1977. It was not intended to be a lengthy discourse on the pedagogy and performance practices of the double bass, but rather as a summary of the research for that recital. Without the patient guidance of the author's major and minor professors, Dr. Gordon Epperson (Performance) and Dr. 0. M. Hartsell (Music Education), this paper could not have been possible. Special thanks also must go to fellow bassists and students Karla Ann Philipp and Judith Ann Mucciolo for their great assistance in gathering information necessary to make this a successful venture. Thanks to all! March, 1978 J. Thomas Boyd iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE iii 1. PEDAGOGY 1 Introduction t . 1 Introduction of the Individual Method Books . 2 1. NEW METHOD FOR THE DOUBLE BASS by Franz Simandl 2 2. NUOVO METODO PER CO NTRABBä SSO by Isaia Bille. 3 3. METHODE COMPLETE POUR LA CONTRABASSE by Edouard Nanny 4 4. DOUBLE BASS METHOD by Ludwig Streicher 6 5. OTHER METHOD BOOKS 9 II. PERFORMANCE 13 Introduction. 13 Discussion of Three Important Bassists 15 1. DOMEI`TICO DRAGONETTI (1763- 1846) . 15 Works for Double Bass . , . 18 2. GIOVANNI BOTTESINI (1821 -1889) 19 Works for Double Bass 22 3. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY (1874 -1951) 23 Works for Double Bass 27 BIBLIOGRAPHY 28 iv I. PFnAGOGY In the field of double bass pedagogy, method books play an important part in the development of any bassist. There have been so many method books written in the past two hundred years, but most of those books have now become for the most part obsolete or hard to find. Four method books seem to rise above all others in content and quality for the average bass player. These books are as follows: NEW METHOD FOR THE DOUBLE BASS Franz Simandl NUOVO METODO PER CONTRABBASSO Isaia Bille METHODE COMPLETE POUR LA CONTRABASSE Edouard Nanny DOUBLE BASS METHOD Ludwig Streicher In the order presented above, these fine books would make an excellent course of study for any serious bassist. In the following pages, a comparison of these four methods will be made, showing the advantages and /or disadvantages of each. The practical application of these books will be mentioned by the author, whose opinions are used to formulate this document. It should be pointed out that each of the four method books mentioned above involves two or more volumes; therefore, the volume used for each book discussed in this document will be specified in the following comparison. After the comparative study of the four methods will be a list of methods currently unavailable or out -of- print. 2 INTRODUCTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL METHOD BOOKS NEW METHOD FOR THE DOUBLE BASS Franz SImandl This method book, being in two volumes, comes with German and English text. This is one of the finest works obtainable today, the contents being excellent and used by many leading teachers today. The second book deals with thumb position and advanced techniques. In the early edition the second part of the method was obtainable in separate smaller sections. The thumb jumping in the higher positions is the only general fault player will find it easier to move across the strings and keep notes under the hand than to skip up and down the strings as indicated. Book One of this method is beautifully divided into sections which would greatly aid the younger bass player. Simandl takes care to introduce the positions slowly and carefully. Exercises tend to become tedious after a while due to the excessive use of sequences in the exercises. However, a strong foundation will be gained if the student uses this method. Following a section of minor scales and exercises, the student is introduced to the various types of ornamentation and the first volume is concluded with valuable orchestral excerpts. Teachers and students alike may find it a wise idea to supplement this method with other solos and etude materials. NUOVO METODO PER CONTRABBASSO Isaia Billa A rather extensive work for the double bass, Billets method is comprised of seven volumes. The first part is contained in four books, gradually advancing through many exercises and the second part is in three books terminating with most detailed information and instruction on tuning, natural harmonics, artificial harmonics, and double harmonics. Sections of celebrated solos by Bottesini and others are included concluding with some bass solos with piano accompaniment. The fingering used is the old Italian 1-3-4 system, but the information is excellent and can be easily rearranged to accomodate the 1 -2 -4 system now used. The text is written in Italian, French, and English. The only real general fault with this method is that it tends to progress a little too rapidly, leaving the student stranded without help in later volumes. The exercises are quite through, but may seem a little too much for the average beginning bass student. If one were to be dependent on looking at fingerings while practicing, the 1-3-4 system of fingering could easily mislead a student 4 and cause confusion and frustration. At the time of this writing, Part One- Volume Three was the only readily available section of this method book. In looking through this section, the author was surprised to see very little or no explanation offered with the exer- cises, particularly when it came time to change to various keys, both major and minor. However, the exercises are excellently written, without the monotony involved as in Franz Simandl's work. Because of this, the student will not greatly be bored with practicing out of this method. As solos are included in the later volumes, it would not really be necessary to have to bring in outside materials for quite a while; therefore, the confusion of doing this could be eliminated. If one chooses not to use this method, there is another one which is quite as acceptable as the Bille and could even be substituted for this method. METHODE COMPLETE POUR LA CO;TRABASSE Edouard Nanny Nanny's method book was originally published in two books with the French, German, and English text (just as the Bille book was). The first book deals with the posi- tions while the second deals with advanced techniques, bowing, double stopping, harmonic information, and many more advanced studies and exercises. This is one of the 5 best methods obtainable today, although it requires more practice patience than some others due to the exercises being rather labored. This method book is also the first one discussed to include a section on the five stringed bass (tuned G, D, A, E, C). The major problem with the method is the omission of orchestral studies. Only the Simandl NEW METHOD FOR THE DOUBLE BASS contains an extensive section particularly devoted to the study of orchestral parts. Nanny, like Bille, also leaves a lot to be desired as far as having information concerning the various etudes and studies. The student is again left to decide how to perform (or even practice) many of the exercises, given only fingerings and articulations. An excellent part of this method is the inclusion of extended fingerings (going out of a given position for notes not included in that position without shifting) and use of the thumb in lower positions. There are always cases when a student should be aware of these technical capacities, and Nanny is the first to introduce these ideas on an early volume. Part Two of this methods begins where Part One ends. The second part vo ul d be of valuable service to serious- minded soloists, although other books or exercises could better serve a bass student in that capacity. The 6 author introduces this method in about the fourth or fifth year of study with students as Simandl could more or less fulfill the needs of the earlier years of study. After a year or two in the Nanny METHODE COMPLETE POUR LA CONTRABASSE, the student would be ready to move on to other methods, etudes, and solos. DOUBLE BASS METHOD Ludwig Streicher Not much is known about this particular method due to the fact that it is not yet published.