Originally for violin, this beautifully evocative and lyrical Meditation from Massenet’s opera Thaïs has quickly become standard repertoire for double bass.

The melodic potential is exploited to the full and emphasises the singing and dramatic possibilities of the solo bass. There are long flowing melodies throughout the range of the instrument and many opportunities to display an advanced technique and musicality.

The three-act opera Thaïs was composed in 1890, to a libretto by Louis Gallet, after Anatole France’s novel, and was first produced in Paris on 16 March 1894. It is set in 4th-century Egypt and tells how the monk Athanael converts the courtesan Thaïs, who becomes a nun, but loses her soul in the process.

Meditation is played between Scenes 1 and 2 of Act Two.

The edition includes piano accompaniments for both solo and orchestral tuning.