David Heyes writes: ” Tarantella Napoletana was composed for my younger students at Wells Cathedral School (Somerset, UK) to play in ‘Bottesini Bravura!’ in Quilter Hall …on Monday 25 March 2019. The concert celebrated the music of Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) and this quartet was composed in an Italianate style and tailored to suit a specific ability level. The music is fast and lively, with a lyrical middle section and a short cadenza for bass 1 accompanied by a tremolando chord, which leads into an exciting and vibrant finale.
Tarantella Napoletana is not difficult to rehearse and is a fun and exciting piece in performance. It sounds far more difficult than it really is and is part of as growing series of junior quartets I am composing for my progressing young students.”
The parts are carefully graded and remain within a specific ability level with accessible musical and technical challenges for each player.
Bass 1 plays primarily in the positions at the curve of the neck, octave harmonics alongside harmonics in the higher register.
Bass 2 plays in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th positions with octave harmonics and harmonics in 4th position.
Bass 3 uses 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions alongside octave harmonics.
Bass 4 is primarily in 1st position, with one shift into 3rd position.
Look Inside
David Heyes (b.1960) studied double bass with Laurence Gray and Bronwen Naish, later at the Royal College of Music in London, and completed his post-graduate studies in Prague with FrantisÌŒek PosÌŒta (Principal Bass, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He has given recitals and masterclasses in 20 countries over the past few years and has been a juror at a number of international competitions, three times as chairman.
David’s collaborative work gained him a prestigious award from the David Walter Charitable Trust of New York for his pioneering activities as a soloist, teacher, publisher, and commissioner of new music for double bass and he works with composers throughout the world to expand the double bass repertoire by commissioning new music and by rediscovering forgotten ones. Since 1983 more than 700 works have been written for him, music from one to twenty basses and from beginner to virtuoso, and he has premiered ten contemporary concertos with orchestra.
David began to compose in 2013 and has had music performed and recorded in 29 countries across five continents. He is a D’Addario Performing Artist and has recently commissioned a solo double bass from British master-luthier Martin Penning.
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