Contrabass Conversations - Tubin - Concerto - Part I

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phillipwserna
June 20, 2008

Contrabass Conversations - Eduard Tubin - Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra - Dr. Robert G. Hasty, conductor -- Dr. Phillip W. Serna, double bass www.contrabassconversations.co m and www.doub...

Contrabass Conversations - Eduard Tubin - Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra - Dr. Robert G. Hasty, conductor -- Dr. Phillip W. Serna, double bass

www.contrabassconversations.com and www.doublebassblog.org

CONCERT INFORMATION

Summer Orchestra: Unfinished Symphonies

Tuesday, July 29, 7:30 p.m.
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University, Evanston , IL

Dr. Robert G. Hasty, conductor; Dr. Phillip W. Serna, double bass

Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra (1948) Eduard Tubin

Allegro con moto (1905-1982)
Allegro non troppo
Andante sostenuto
Cadenza
Allegro non troppo, poco marciale

PROGRAM NOTES

Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra (1948) Eduard Tubin

Eduard Tubin, an Estonian composer and conductor, completed his Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra on the 31st of May 1948, with its orchestral premiere performance in Bogotá on the 8th of March 1957. Tubin studied composition under Eller at the Tartu Academy (1924-1930) and later went on to conduct the Vanemuine Theatre Orchestra (1930-44). With a keen interest in the new music, he conducted Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms in Tallinn in 1936, and two years following met Kodály in Budapest where he became acquainted with Bartók's work. In 1944 he moved to Sweden , where he composed this concerto. Tubin was naturalized as a Swedish citizen in 1961 and was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1982.

In addition to his concerto for double bass, he composed two concerti for violin, a concerto for balalaika, and a concertino for piano with orchestral accompaniment. In other genres, he composed sonatas for violin, viola, flute, and saxophone. Additionally, Tubin composed choral music, a requiem, songs, solo piano music, ballets, and symphonies. At the time of his death, he was in the process of composing his 11th Symphony.

The Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra is continuous, with no breaks between movements. Several of the movements are separated by a sequence of orchestral interludes. The opening Allegro con moto begins with an energetic theme accompanied by jazz-like rhythms in the accompaniment. The following Allegro non troppo is calmer and more lyrical, in which the soloist presents a theme that will later be developed in the accompaniment. The role of the soloist moves between being the prominent line to accompanying melodic fragments in the winds. This interplay creates a sense of tension culminating in a dramatic climax of brilliant triads. The Andante sostenuto is built upon a broadly developed melody over a rich harmonic cushion in the accompaniment. When this melody appears for a second time, it is accompanied by syncopated figures creating a sense of further motion. Listen for this cantabile melodic material in the closing movement with the soloist accompanying the wind soloists. Becoming ever more agitated, the tension in the slow movement increases in tension with a crescendo towards a dramatic Cadenza, developing a number of harmonic and rhythmic motives from the previous movements. The cadenza bridges the gap between the slow movement and the final Allegro non troppo, poco marciale. The finale begins, tentatively at first, with the soloist taking up the orchestra's thematic material. As well as presenting material from all of the previous movements, the finale increases in dramatic tension towards a mighty and majestic climax and coda.

- Program Notes by Phillip W. Serna, July 2003

Special thanks to Conductor Robert Hasty and Pick-Staiger Concert Hall Director of Concerts Richard van Kleeck at Northwestern University's School of Music for their permission of use for Contrabass Conversations and the Double Bass Blog. Also, sincerest thanks to Peo Nylén of Scandinavian Songs AB for their assistance in licensing the work for internet distribution.

For more information on Dr. Phillip W. Serna, visit http://www.phillipwserna.com/

For more information on the Northwestern University School of Music and Pick-Staiger Concert Hall at http://www.music.northwestern.edu/ and http://www.pickstaiger.org/

For more information on Eduard Tubin, visit the International Eduard Tubin Society at http://www.tubinsociety.com/. To rent the music for Tubin's Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra in the United States , visit Bossey and Hawkes Music Publishers at http://www.boosey.com/. For licensing information, please visit Scandinavian Songs AB at http://www.scandinavian-songs.se/.

Category: Music

Tags:

contrabass conversations serna tubin bass concerto classical

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Timrath (10 months ago) Show Hide

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I first heard that concerto when I was 17, and I'm still in love with it. Thanks for uploading this gem of 20th century music!

ddrucker (1 year ago) Show Hide

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Tubin is the great unknown genius of the 20th Century. The Fourth Symphony can stand side by side with anything from Brahms to Shostakovich as one of the great works for Orchestra. I hope some other conductors besides Esa-Pekka Salonen program some Tubin, but it's a hard sell, with so many 'living' unknown composers trying to get that 'novelty' slot in programs where the piece is something not already in the reperatory.

leroyosmon (1 year ago) Show Hide

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So nice to hear something by Tubin posted on Youtube. Thank you.

GabeFrank (1 year ago) Show Hide

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I'm just waiting until I can find a video of his 4th symphony :D but its great knowing that Composers like E. Tubin can be found on Youtube.

Thanks as well.

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Contrabass Conversations - Tubin - Concerto - Part I

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