Boguslaw Furtok performs Bottesini Gran Duo Concertant


We’ve featured the extraordinary double bass soloist Boguslaw Furtok many times on the blog in the past, and this clip (submitted by double bassist Ian Hallas ,who just performed the Bottesini Concerto with orchestra this week) is no exception.  Sha Ye (violin) and Boguslaw play a seven minute excerpt from this fun and virtuosic piece:

 

I’ve played this piece several times in the past, and I always have a blast with it.  Check out more great content from Boguslaw through the links below.

 

Ira Gold interview and performance this week on Contrabass Conversations

We will be wrapping up the third and final part of our interview with National Symphony bassist Ira Gold this weekend, as well as featuring a recording of Ira playing some Bach.  Ira is an outstanding bassist and teacher and an extraordinary musical and technical thinker on the instrument.  Check out the first two parts of the interview on Ira’s Contrabass Conversations page, and stay tuned for the final part this weekend!

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Bass shot of the day – Tim Cobb with other classical music heavies

Here’s a shot by Julieta Cervantes (for the New York Times) of Tim Cobb along with James Levine, John Harbison, Elliot Carter, and Milton Babbitt. Tim is the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra principal bassist.

Read the accompanying New York Times story here. Thanks to bass blog reader Jon for passing along this link.

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Jason Heath, meet Jason Heath

A few days ago, I logged into my Facebook account and discovered the following message:

"Jason Heath would like to be friends with you…"

Me….become friends with me?  I clicked the Jason Heath profile and, sure enough, it was another Jason Heath, only living in the U. K. instead of Chicago.

Then I noticed his recent updates:

Jason Heath is now friends with Jason Heath.
Jason Heath is now friends with Jason Heath.
Jason Heath is now friends with Jason Heath.
Jason Heath is now friends with Jason Heath.
Jason Heath is now friends with Jason Heath.
Jason Heath is now friends with Jason Heath.
Jason Heath is now friends with Jason Heath.

…and so on and so on.

What’s going on?  Is this the Twilight Zone?  I clicked some of the names.  Sure enough, they were all different Jason Heaths, all living in Great Britain, and all being rounded together by this particular Jason Heath.

After becoming his Facebook friend, I inquired about his project.  He messaged back, saying that he had found 75 Jason Heaths on Facebook thus far and was becoming friends with all of them.

I’d just like folks to know that we Jason Heaths have found each other, that we’re organized, and that we’re planning on taking over the world (or at least Great Britain).  Now I just need to work on my Cockney accent to allow for clear communication in our battle plans….

DaXun Zhang performs The Swan by Saint-Saens

Double bass virtuoso and University of Texas-Austin bass professor (and Contrabass Conversations musical guest) plays The Swan from The Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens in this excellent video:

What a fabulous player!

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