Contrabass Conversations

 

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Contrabass Conversations regular contributor and classicalmusicnews.tv blogger John Grillo and I recorded a follow-up episode to our recent Opera Excerpt Breakdown episode. In this episode we chat a little more generally about opera bass playing and how it differs from orchestral bass playing.

John has played for numerous opera companies in the past, including the Pittsburgh Opera and Spoleto Festival die Due Mondi in Italy. He recently performed Wagner’s Ring Cycle as the only bass player (!). Learn more about John on his Contrabass Conversations page, check out his virtual recital, listen to the Opera Excerpt and Orchestra Excerpt breakdowns, and be sure to visit his blog at classicalmusicnews.tv.

 

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This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode features an in-depth analysis of the double bass opera excerpts most commonly requested at auditions. Double bassist (and regular Contrabass Conversations guest and co-host) John Grillo discusses each of these excerpts–stylistic considerations, differences in articulation and bow strokes, and suggestions for effectively learning them–and then performs them. We believe that this project will be a highly valuable resource for bassists worldwide, and we’d love your feedback on this project!

John and I created an excerpt breakdown for the most commonly requested orchestra excerpts back on CBC 41, and this has proven to be a highly popular and extremely useful resource to double bassists worldwide. Our hope is that this opera excerpt episode will do the same for the less familiar but wonderfully challenging double bass operatic literature.

Learn more about John at his new blog ClassicalMusicNews.tv, and check out all of his older Contrabass Conversations appearances here. You can also check out John in recital on his doublebassblog.org recital page.

Opera excerpts covered on this episode:

• Strauss
  • Salome
  • Rosenkavalier
• Wagner
  • Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
  • Die Walküre
• Britten
  • Peter Grimes
• Verdi
  • Otello
  • Rigoletto
  • Falstaff
• Weber
  • Euryanthe
• Mozart
  • Magic Flute
  • Marriage of Figaro
• Beethoven
  • Fidelo
• Humperdinck
  • Hansel and Gretel

 

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We’re chatting with Cincinnati Symphony principal bassist Owen Lee today on Contrabass Conversations. Owen played for the New World Symphony and the Houston Symphony prior to his appointment with the Cincinnati Symphony, and it was a real pleasure to do this interview along with Contrabass Conversations regular collaborator John Grillo.

John, Owen, and I chat about Owen’s early years on the bass, his experiences working with Ed Barker, Jakstadt double basses, and perspectives from the bass section and a principal position. We also feature music the first movement from the Misek Sonata No. 2 and the Gigue from the Cello Suite No. 3 by Johann Sebastian Bach from Owen’s Boston Records CD, plus Facebook group shout-outs, listener feedback, bass news, and a link of the week.

Learn more about Owen at www.myspace.com/owenleedoublebass. Enjoy!

(more…)

 

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This interview-only Contrabass Conversations episode features the conclusion of our interview with Indiana University double bass professor Lawrence Hurst, whom we interviewed on episodes 20 and 23 of the podcast.  Visit John Grillo online at classicalmusicnews.tv.

 

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This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode concludes our chat with Time for Three bassist Ranaan Meyer. CBC guest and co-host John Grillo joins us in this interview, and the three of us had a very engaging conversation. You can check out the first part of our interview plus CBC video episodes featuring Ranaan on his Contrabass Conversations page here, and visit Time for Three’s website at www.tf3.com.

You can hear more from co-host John Grillo on his new blog www.classicalmusicnews.tv. Enjoy!

visit the show notes

 

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This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode features an in-depth analysis of the double bass orchestral excerpts most commonly requested at auditions. Double bassist (and regular Contrabass Conversations guest and co-host) John Grillo discusses each of these excerpts–stylistic considerations, differences in articulation and bow strokes, and suggestions for effectively learning them–and then performs them. I believe that this project will be a highly valuable resource for bassists worldwide, and I’d love your feedback on this project!

Learn more about John at his new blog ClassicalMusicNews.tv, and check out all of his older Contrabass Conversations appearances here.

visit the show notes

Excerpts covered (click below to hear individual tracks):

Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Brahms Symphony No. 1 and 2
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
Mozart Symphony No. 35 and 39
Mahler Symphony No. 2
Schubert Symphony No. 9
Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Britten Young Person’s Guide
Verdi Otello

 

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This week’s Contrabass Conversations podcast features the first part of our interview with double bassist Ranaan Meyer. John Grillo (a frequent guest and collaborator on the podcast) and I co-interviewed Ranaan, who is the bassist for the band Time for Three and has had a very interesting and multi-faceted career. In addition to hearing a few musical excerpts from Time for Three, this episode features music from German double bassist Guy Tuneh, Pittsburgh-based singer/songwriter Brad Yoder, Los Lonely Boys, and The Latin Soul Syndicate. Enjoy!

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 CBC 23: L. Hurst interview 2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode features a continuation of our interview with Indiana University double bass professor Lawrence Hurst plus some music from plus some music from the Italian bass ensemble The Bass Gang. You can check out episode 20 of the podcast for the first part of this interview with Mr. Hurst, and detailed information for both guests is available in the show notes below. Enjoy!

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 CBC 20: L. Hurst interview: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week’s Contrabass Conversations episode features an excellent interview with Indiana University double bass professor Lawrence Hurst. Double bassist (and frequent Contrabass Conversations guest) John Grillo co-hosted the interview with me. You’ll be hearing the first part of our interview this week, and we’ll be putting out more of this interview in the next few weeks.

You will also be hearing a track from the fabulous double bass virtuoso DaXun Zhang. DaXun was a student of Mr. Hurst at Indiana University, and he is currently on faculty at Northwestern University. Enjoy!

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 CBC 14: J. Grillo interview 3: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Episode 14 for Contrabass Conversations features the final part of our interview with John Grillo and a double bass recording from jazz artist Terry Plumeri. Enjoy!

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