Sinfonia piccola for 8 double basses (op. 66, 1978)
I. Prolog, II. Burleske, III. Andante sostenuto, IV. Finale
8 Double basses
Duration: 23 minutes
Heinrich Braun | Michinori Bunya | Jürgen Normann | Annette Zahn | Hans Peter Wirth | Günther Fischer | Sophia Koch | Martin Aulbach - Claus Kühnl (Conductor)
Thierry Barbé | Jeff Bradetich | Fausto Borém | Christine Hoock | Paul Ellison | Dan Styffe | Petia Bagovska | Samuel Abreu - Florian Pertzborn (Dir.)
Christine Hoock | Leon Bosch | Fausto Borem | Sandor Ostlund | Paul Ellison | Dan Styffe | João Pedro Fernandes | Ted Botsford - Florian Pertzborn (Dir.)
Title: Sinfonia Piccola op. 66 for 8 double basses - Length: 54 pages - Date: I. - II. 24 May 78 III. 4 June 78 IV. 11 June 78 - Location: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Munich
Schott Music KBB 12 / ISMN 979-0-001-15698-1
Printing error in score and part: 3rd movement, bar 114, 3rd bass must play treble clef instead of bass clef
First edition: J. Schuberth Co. Hamburg, 1987
In the final piece of the evening, Bertold Hummel's"Sinfonia Piccola", the Würzburg double bass ensemble was once again able to pull out all the stops: Harmonics, glissandi, plucking, strumming on the fingerboard and the body of the instrument, solo playing and ensemble playing. The composition, which ranged from lyrical to jazz, sometimes made you forget that only double basses were playing; you thought you were listening to a large, full-sounding string orchestra.
You could see the enthusiasm on the beaming faces of the young double bass players as they performed together as a real octet in the "Sinfonia piccola for eight double basses" by Bertold Hummel (1925 to 2002). The "Sinfonia" is an extremely demanding composition lasting just under half an hour in four movements. Eight double basses formed a wonderful fullness of sound and proved what Weber so aptly described: "You can hear and see the entire wealth of colours and variations that is possible on the double bass." The long applause showed that the audience felt the same way ...
Even more impressive was the rich, at times velvety, nasal, deep black sound of the instruments when they performed the "Sinfonia piccola" for eight double basses by Bertold Hummel (1946-2002) together - admittedly only at the end of the concert. The whole room was filled with their reverberating sound ...
Its worth sticking with Bertold Hummels thunderous Sinfonia piccola for moments as haunting as the final bars of the Andante sostenuto, where harmonics chime like distant church bells.
Chamber music for more than two instruments Double bass Instrumental work Opus Catalogue Single instrument Strings
The Sinfonia piccola op. 66 for 8 double basses was composed on the occasion of the international double bass seminar on the Isle of Man in 1978. It is an attempt to utilise the instruments for symphonic gestures and sequences.
Divided into 4 movements, different playing techniques are exposed and assigned to contrasting formal sequences.
Both pathos and scurrility determine the basic character of this symphony "en miniature".
Bertold Hummel
Preface (Schott Music KBB 12)
Bertold Hummel composed the Sinfonia piccola in 1978 on the occasion of the first international competition and seminar for double bass on the Isle of Man (British Isles), where it was premiered by students of the double bass class of Günter Klaus, Hochschule für Musik Würzburg, under the direction of Claus Kühnl.
Bertold Hummel wrote about his composition: "An attempt is made to utilise the instruments for symphonic gestures and sequences. Divided into four movements, different playing techniques are exposed and assigned to contrasting formal sequences. The varied sound offers harmonics, glissandi, pizzicati, strumming on the fingerboard and the body of the instrument, solo playing and ensemble playing. The musical palette ranges from lyrical style to jazz, and both pathos and scurrility determine the basic character of this "symphony in miniature".
In preparing this edition, I had the material from the première at my disposal. Inconsistencies between score and parts were reconciled and some practical performance details were added. The performance indications were presented in two languages.
The piece is conceived as a double quartet. The following stage arrangement has proved successful in performances: Starting from the left, the ensemble forms a semicircle that is as open as possible: Kb 4, Kb 3, Kb 2, Kb 1, Kb 5, Kb 6, Kb 7, Kb 8. The low C string is required for double bass 4 and 8. The question of whether a conductor is absolutely necessary for the performance should be decided by the respective ensembles themselves. The work can be performed with or without a conductor.
With the Sinfonia piccola, Bertold Hummel has laid a foundation stone for the ensemble literature of the double bass. May this edition bring together double bassists from academies and orchestras to make music together on stage.
The presentation and performance of this edition will take place in November 2008 at the International Double Bass Festival BASS' 2008 at the Conservatoire National Superior in Paris and at the 2nd HARMOS Festival at the ESMAE/IPP School of Music in Porto. The American premiere will take place in June 2009 at the World Congress of the International Society of Bassists ISB at Penn State University in Pennsylvania, USA.
Porto, June 2008
Florian Pertzborn
University of Music and Theatre ESMAE/IPP
Porto - Portugal