This photo of Domenico Dragonetti’s Gasparo da Salò comes from Italian bassist Vito Liuzzi. Note the broad shoulders, richly colored varnish, and three string set-up.
A student of mine recently performed the Dragonetti Concerto with orchestra, and he pointed out these very entertaining program notes from Paul Serotsky. This is not exactly the way most composers are featured in concert program notes, but Dragonetti an unusual guy, truly a larger-than-life figure from the classic traveling virtuoso mold:
In common with other “oddball” solo instruments, the double-bass’ problem is repertoire, which certainly in Dragonetti’s day leant heavily on arrangements, so it was lucky indeed for him that he could write as well as play. Dragonetti may not have been a great composer but, apparently, he was well able to translate his performing abilities into music having an abundance of easy charm, tunefulness and vigour. Moreover (unlike some I could mention), far from relegating the orchestra to menial accompanist for his virtuosic acrobatics he treats it with a fair bit of imagination, no mean feat considering the very particular problems of balance.
Read the complete notes here.
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Dear Jason.
Thanks to exist, first of all. 1000 Post. Great!
Listen! It’s the time to establish one thing. The Italian Virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti (my second name is “Domenico” but I don’t play like Dragonetti!!!) has never composed the A Concert. It was surely a Edoard Nanny’s piece. In the Bottesini’s Competition you can find in the study program : “A Concert for db. and piano” by Nanny/Dragonetti.” It’s correct. They know that Dragonetti has written only another A Concert that you can find in the British Museum (London) – Stefano Sciascia is the only one to have recorded it . Well, if they indicate only “A Concert” by Nanny none would able to understand what they talk about. Just because every one knows it as “A Dragonetti Concert”. So they give the indication:”Nanny/Dragonetti”.
It doesn’t exist this A Concert that we call Dragonetti. It’s Fiona Palmer that tell us. In substance, I repeat, It doesn’t exist somewhere.
If you like I can send you the first page for the Blog of the authentic concert by Dragonetti.
Why Nanny wrote a Concert (I don’t like it!) and then he told he was by Dragonetti? It’s a long history!
Best regards
Vito
Good point, Vito. This is, along with the ‘Amati’ attribution of Gary Karr’s former bass, one of the famous mislabellings of the bass world.
Well, Jason, if someone goes to British Museum probably will be able to have also the manuscript of the authentic A Concert. I might talk for hours but I will be strict. Probably, Nanny composed the Concert and surely he was the Editor. But it’s not the first time taht one composer unknown publishes one concert under another famous name. We can think this is a right way to understand why Nanny does it.
Another thing. In Nanny A Concert and if we analyze others his works, we may say that it’s not a Dragonetti’s work. Why? There’s a little thing to observe: Nanny uses a lot of harmonics!!! Dragonetti with the “giant” didn’t like to play harmonics: he was not so high!! In his authentic A Concert he writes a lot “on the finger board” and the third time it’s an incredible thing: thousands and thousands of notes written on the fingerbord (probably he plays the high G harmonics only one time). The second time is on the fingerboard. Ok! We analize the 12 Walts and his true A Concert. There are a lot of similarities.
I stop here.
Jason, sorry for my no correct English.
I hope Dragonetti can be happy :-)!
(dr.) Vito Liuzzi (Italy)
Jason,
only one thing!
It’s no easy to see this double bass in Saint Mark Church. It dependes from the “guardian”. But if you convince him you are in example doublebass players which study the History of Dragonetti, surely it will be easier. Sometimes there are no problems.
And if you have a Bow with you, probably you can play some notes.
They have no change the original strings, gut strings.
The Giant, in the Victoria and Albert Museum is another history. An incredible doublebass by Gasparo da Salò. It’s no possible to play it. I hope my photo reaches you!
Hello Vito
Just wonder if you can send me the first page of the real Dragonetti A concert. And also, do you know where can I buy it?