|
Compositions for Virtuoso Double Bass
Divertimento Concertante on a Theme of Couperin
Road to Hamelin · Silent Movie · Eusebius Revisited
Gary Karr, double bass · Mark Alison Morton, double bass
The Louisville Orchestra · Robert Bernhardt, conductor
Christopher Finkelmeyer, piano
Paul Ramsier's landmark compositions for double bass and orchestra are among the most widely performed Twentieth-Century works for the instrument, and have set new standards for the solo double bass. These compositions have earned Ramsier international recognition through more than one hundred orchestral performances, including performances by some of the world's most distinguished ensembles, such as the Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Kansas City, St. Louis, Toronto, London, and Melbourne Symphonies, the Rotterdam and Hong Kong Philharmonics, the Louisville and Minnesota Orchestras, the Israel Sinfonia, the McGill Chamber Orchestra, the Victoria International Festival Orchestra, and I Musici de Montreal.
Divertimento Concertante on a Theme of Couperin
The critically acclaimed Divertimento Concertante on a Theme of Couperin is the first of a series of works for double bass composed by Paul Ramsier. It was commissioned by Gary Karr, and premiered by Karr with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Seiji Ozawa on June 20, 1965. At its premiere, Roger Dettmer, writing in The Chicago American, called it "six compact variations of subtlety, humor, and finesse."
This piece represents the first result of the highly successful Ramsier-Karr collaboration. The composer contributes the following commentary:
"When I first heard Karr play, I wanted to come up with a piece that could explore a range of the unique lyrical and of virtuoso qualities of the solo double bass within the scope of a concerto-like vehicle. The opening Couperin theme became the basis for six contrasting movements whose moods suggested descriptive titles. At that time Gary Karr lived in the same New York neighborhood, so I was able to try out my ideas on a daily basis. The ideas flowed easily, generated by our mutual excitement in discovering new musical territory for the double bass. All of the music got its impetus that way, but especially certain sections such as the 'Recitative' movement, which features pizzicato timbres, the 'Valse Cinematique,' for which I employed a nostalgic idea to showcase the instrument's startling high notes, and the 'Dirge,' which retains a lyric intensity throughout a wide range."
The Divertimento Concertante is a frequent competition piece. The theme is taken from a harpsichord piece by François Couperin entitled "La Bandoline" (1713).
Road to Hamelin was first heard on October 14, 1978 in a performance by Gary Karr, who commissioned, narrated and performed the work with the Toronto Symphony conducted by Victor Feldbrill. According to John Kraglund of the Toronto Globe and Mail, Road to Hamelin "could take its place with other children's favorites, like 'Peter and the Wolf'" This review is echoed by others, such as David Hendricks of the San Antonio News-Express, who says that the piece "joins the ranks of Saint-Saens' 'Carnival of the Animals' and Prokofief's 'Peter and the Wolf' The composition is truly original and properly dramatic for the children's story."
The narration is based on a scenario by Ruth Ramsay. The work represents yet another venture by Ramsier into what he terms the "incredibly rich frontier" that lies ahead for the double bass as a solo instrument. The composer comments:
"Road to Hamelin takes a different shape from some well-known children's stories that employ idiomatic musical phrases to identify characters whenever they appear in the narrative. Instead, the musical sections are short, complete pieces that depict action or 'dialogues' among characters, or develop moods or emotions something like an opera.
"This concept allowed me to feature a different aspect of the double bass in each musical section. I developed simple musical ideas to evoke various lyric and virtuoso qualities, as well as various registers and 'colors.'"
Boosey & Hawkes has published the double bass and piano edition of the work. The publisher has also issued separate versions for viola and piano, and clarinet and piano. In addition, Boosey & Hawkes publishes a suite of piano pieces for young pianists, Pied Piper, that incorporates themes of Road to Hamelin.
Road to Hamelin and Divertimento Concertante were first recorded and released by The Louisville Orchestra under its recording label First Edition Recordings.
In his notes, the composer comments:
"I've often wished that silent movies with live music hadn't become obsolete by the time I started to go to the movies. I've imagined how much fun it would be to improvise music while the action unfolded on the screen with its tense and tender moments. So this piece expresses a nostalgia for something I've never experienced. Its intent is not to satirize, even though some passages suggest a smile.
"In a way, this piece is the reverse of a silent movie, since the music is supplied, but the visual image is missing."
Silent Movie was first performed with strings and harp by Gary Karr with I Musici de Montreal, conducted by Yuli Turovsky, in Montreal on September 5, 1985.Ramsier revised the work in 1995 for performance by Mark Alison Morton at the International Society of Bassist's Convention at Indiana University in June of that year. The recording by Morton incorporates that revision, in its version for solo double bass and piano.
Eusebius Revisited (Remembrances of Schumann)
Recognizing that the lyric qualities of the solo double bass are ideal for music of the Romantic period but that no major composer of that period composed for the instrument Ramsier conceived of a large work, a "paraphrase" of piano pieces by Robert Schumann. Ramsier notes that composers such as Liszt would paraphrase music of other composers, though "the emphasis is definitely not pyrotechnical, as it sometimes was for Liszt. Bach also would paraphrase his own compositions and those of other composers for various instruments or ensembles because they would work that way. So there is precedent.
"When I got going on it, I found that I'd set a difficult task for myself. It needed to preserve the integrity of the original music, as if Schumann might have known what the bass could do.
"Schumann would often personify his poetic side with the name 'Eusebius' and would sometimes sign critical articles, or a piece of music with an "E" for Eusebius." In conceiving this work, Ramsier developed the following plan:
"In Eusebius Revisited, the progression of these pieces follows a romantic scheme of my own, which might suggest Eusebius, the poet, emerging from the past. The persona of the poet might arrive tentatively, almost shyly, becoming ever more ardent and lively, even playful, finally giving in to an unabashed love of life. In VI (Moderato sostenuto), an unaccompanied solo follows a free lyric cadenza that reminisces on Schumannesque themes. It leads into a reflective "night piece" that takes the poet back into his own century. Eusebius Revisited provides its own encore, something I think befits music of such romantic temperament."
The piece was conceived for solo bass with strings and piano. The first performance took place in Seattle by Gary Karr with the Northwest Chamber Orchestra conducted by Giora Bernstein on March 5, 1980. The recording by Mark Alison Morton utilizes the version for double bass and piano.
Born in 1937 in Louisville, Kentucky, Paul Ramsier showed promise as a pianist at the age of five and began composing at nine. At sixteen, he entered the University of Louisville School of Music, where he studied piano with Dwight Anderson and composition with Claude Almand. His graduate studies included piano with Beveridge Webster at the Juilliard School and composition with Ernst von Dohnányi at Florida State University. In his early career in New York City, he was a staff pianist with the New York City Ballet where he was influenced by Balanchine and Stravinsky. During that period he studied composition with Alexei Haieff.
Ramsier is the composer of orchestral, opera and choral works, but his chief contribution to Twentieth-Century music is a body of work for the double bass. The double bass compositions include four works with orchestra beginning with the Divertimento Concertante on a Theme of Couperin, a landmark in the literature for the instrument. Both the Divertimento Concertante and Road to Hamelin are established standard compositions for the solo double bass and orchestra, and have had major performances with orchestras on every continent.
Two later compositions, Silent Movie and Eusebius Revisited, are gaining renown as well. Ramsier has also produced a collection of progressive pieces for young bassists called Pieces for Friends, which reflect his interest in education. Among his other compositions, a one-act opera, The Man on the Bearskin Rug, is well known and frequently performed. Because he is a pianist, the composer has made pianistic versions of orchestral material for the published scores. Consequently, these pieces are frequently performed in recital with piano.
He taught composition at New York University and Ohio State University. After earning a Ph.D., he turned his attention to the study of psychoanalysis, and has since pursued a double career: psychotherapy and musical composition. These interests combine in a number of his compositions, such as the psychologically perceptive narrative piece, Road to Hamelin, as well as a series of compositions entitled Zoo of Dreams.
Dr. Ramsier composes, and practices psychotherapy, in New York City. His practice includes many creative and performing artists.
Hailed as the greatest solo bassist of our time, Gary Karr has popularized the solo double bass and expanded its repertoire. Since his concert debut in 1961 he has enjoyed a highly successful career as a major solo artist which few others have achieved in the 400-year history of the double bass.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, he began performing at the age of nine. Advanced study with notable teachers, including Herman Reinshagen and Leonard Rose, the cellist, strengthened Karr's natural abilities. An artistic association with singer Jennie Tourel, led to an introduction to Leonard Bernstein who engaged him as guest artist for the New York Philharmonic's nationally telecast Young People's Concerts.
As a guest artist, he has performed with well over 100 orchestral ensembles. In addition to meeting demands of a concert career, he maintains an active teaching schedule in colleges and in international workshops, and remains an inspiration to young bassists around the world. Gary Karr performs and records on the celebrated Amati double bass that once belonged to Serge Koussevitsky.
Born in Austin, Texas, Morton gained early recognition as a piano prodigy. At age eleven, he took up the double bass because it is an instrument that is breaking new ground. He studied with David Walter and Channing Robbins at the Juilliard School, where he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree.
In 1990, he won first prize in the solo competition of the International Society of Bassists in New York City. Morton is principal bass of the Columbus Symphony. His concert career continues to expand as recital and concerto soloist.
He is currently on the faculty of Ohio Wesleyan University. He has also served as assistant instructor to Gary Karr at the Hartt School of Music. He is author of the pioneering "Dr. Morton" series of books on the art of bass playing. He is also a frequent contributor to magazines such as Strings and American String Teacher, and edits columns devoted to solo bass playing and music reviews for Bass World. Mark Alison Morton performs on an instrument made in Naples by Gennaro Vinnacia around 1775.
Robert Bernhardt is principal conductor and artistic director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. His extensive previous experience includes many years as associate conductor of the Louisville Orchestra, and as principal conductor of the Tucson Symphony.
He continues his association with the Kentucky Opera in Louisville as principal guest conductor. He has recorded for the Vanguard and First Edition Records labels.
Robert Bernhardt pursued graduate studies at the University of Southern California School of Music. He is also a graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he was an Academic All-American baseball player.
Born in Wisconsin, Christopher Finkelmeyer began performing publicly at the age of eight. While still an undergraduate at Northwestern University, he appeared as concerto soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony, gaining recognition as a young virtuoso. After graduating, he studied with Adele Marcus at the Juilliard School, and later with Paul Badura Skoda in Vienna. He completed graduate work at Ohio State University, where he studied with Earl Wild.
His solo appearances include Carnegie Hall, Arizona Sundome, and the Ravinia Festival. He maintains an active interest in American music, and regularly features new works in his performance schedule.
Andrew Kazdin was the producer for Divertimento Concertante and Road to Hamelin.
Bruce Gigax was the producer for Silent Movie and Eusebius Revisited.
Divertimento Concertante on a Theme of Couperin (15:10)
Theme (2:13) Barcarolle (1:59) March (1:25)
Dirge (2:42) Recitative (1:56) Valse Cinematique (1:16)
Gary Karr, double bass & narrator
The Louisville Orchestra · Robert Bernhardt, conductor
First Kiss (2:42) In Peril (1:45) The Vine covered Cottage (2:44)
Martians (1:05) Dracula (2:49) Mata Hari (1:48) I Found the Treasure! (3:34)
Eusebius Revisited (Remembrances of Schumann) (19:35)
Rubato, molto espressivo (2:45) Con intimo sentimento (1:59) Allegro molto (2:39)
Allegro energico (2:01) Allegro molto (1:19) Moderato sostenuto (2:32)
Piacevole (2:31) "Encore" (3:42)
Mark Alison Morton, double bass · Christopher Finkelmeyer, piano
|
