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Archive for February, 2009

Bach on the bass like you’ve never heard it – Ben Jensen plays the Bach Sixth Suite Gigue

Yazan: Jason | 11 February 2009 | 4 Comments
Categories: bass

Reinforcing my belief that this current up-and-coming generation of bassists is the most technically advanced yet, I’d like to offer up this recording passed along to me by bassist Steve Metcalf of Ben Jensen, an absolutely outstanding player who studies with Bruce Bransby. This is a recording of the Gigue from Bach’s Sixth Solo Cello [...]

Determining Bille first edition authenticity

Yazan: Jason | 11 February 2009 | 3 Comments
Categories: bass

Boston Symphony Assistant Principal Bass Lawrence Wolfe has discovered what may be the original, handwritten edition of Bille Book One.  This is a tremendous find for all bassists if it’s the original, but he’s asking the help of the bass community (that’s all of you reading this!) to hep determine its authenticity.  He intends to [...]

Tardy Students

Yazan: Jason | 10 February 2009 | 3 Comments
Categories: education

I can’t help but notice that all of my fellow students coming in late to class at DePaul University or Oakton Community College are invariably carrying piping-hot cups of Starbucks coffee with them. How long did it take to get that coffee? Is that a good idea when you’re running late? Is that respectful? Do [...]

Cool new Contrabass Conversations guests

Yazan: Jason | 10 February 2009 | No Comments
Categories: bass, podcasting

As we move (slowly but surely) into spring, we’ll be putting out a gaggle of cool new interview episodes on Contrabass Conversations. If you haven’t stopped by the site recently, check it out–I just did a pretty radical redesign, and I’d like to know what you think. Lawrence Wolfe interview We’ll be putting out an [...]

Bass audition – Beethoven 9 Recitatives for YouTube Symphony

Yazan: Jason | 10 February 2009 | 4 Comments
Categories: bass videos

Here’s another entry from a bassist for the YouTube Symphony featuring the recitatives (perhaps the most standard audition excerpt ever) from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and some Mozart 39: