Koussevitzky Plays Koussevitzky (Concerto Op. 3, II. Andante)

Serge Koussevitzky (1874 - 1951) performs the second movement (Andante) of his Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra in F-sharp Minor, Op. 3. The orchestra reduction is played by pianist Pierre Luboshutz. Recorded September 25, 1929 and first issued on Victor 99-2000. The photograph is a Bachrach studio portrait from my collection boldly signed by Maestro Koussevitzky and dated October 22, 1929, less than one month after the recording was made.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bass
• concerto
• contrabass
• contrabbasso
• contrebasse
• double
• kontrabass
• koussevitzky

[bent96]

I second Tity4100- Thanks very much for posting. I don't suppose you have the other movements?

Boy, the way he plays with so much portamento, you could practically play it with one finger. Still great to hear though.

[baroquecello]

Unfortunately he only recorded the second movement. His use of harmonics at the end leads me to wonder how he performed the other movements. He did, however, record his Valse Miniature and Chanson Triste along with Gustav Laska's Wiegenlied and two transcriptions, the Largo from the Eccles Sonata and the Minuet in G by Beethoven.

As for the portamento I can only quote my college bass professor who on first hearing it said "it was another time."

[teofthe]

the composer performing his music.. what could be better

[perroazl]

It's a pity that he didn't record the others movs.

[gintaras0pamakstys]

A terrible performance by Koussevitzky : no sense of rhythm, direction or phrasing, and, to make the matters worse, out of tune most of the time....My sincere condolences go to the pianist, who was probably sweating his arse off to be able to adapt to the 'soloist's' piss take....:D

[RobZahnBass]

@baroquecello Another time indeed. Love these old recordings; the strings sound a bit drunk. :)

[Jhosepbm]

Hey... Do you have full concert?

[nickmidget]

Really in love with this. Just like a time capsule filled with beautiful art.

[Lutekbutek]

first of all is not HIS concerto, which makes a big difference...

[bloodmoonblacksky]

@bent96 speaking of those harmonics, does anyone have any idea as to how he plays them? All of those harmonics exist except for the F#. There is a F# harmonic, but it's an octave above where it's supposed to be? Can anyone help he out?

[wks1978]

@Samthemuffinman I think also in those days aesthetics were different to today. They seemed to go for expression rather than technical precision.

[Samthemuffinman]

@RobZahnBass Can't always expect perfection, even from the composer himself.

[RobZahnBass]

Haha, I totally get that lots of portamento was typical back in the day, and I love this man, but his performance seems a bit drunk. :)

[dcco76]

@hsu912174 great bass and greater player!