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Gajdos Selected Works for Bass |
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PRE162 Gajdos Selected Works for Bass
Commentary by the composer:
The Capriccios, solos, and reflexes included in this volume are a sampling of my compositions which give new technical and expressive possibilities to doublebass playing. It is my experience that our bass literature lacks many compositions featuring doublestops and polyphonic techniques. These works came into being to fill that void.
Solo in D (1975), combines accompanied homophony with ployphony and harmonics in doublestops. This composition has some technical properties and belongs together with my other compositions, The Doublebass Player's Dream and Capriccio No. 3, "Paganininiana." It may be considered one of the most difficult compositions in the entire double bass literature. The original version demands four finger techniques, while this arrangement for more common technique was made in 1993.
Similarly, Solo in C (1977), was written in an effort to test polyphonic playing possibilities in a tonality where an open string is not the basic tone.
Capriccio No. 1 (1978), was influenced by violin techniques. The fast sections develop the bassists ability to coordinate motions in the left and right hands in as fast a tempo as possible. The middle section again combines doublestops, chords, and connecting passages.
If all of these solos and capriccios are written in classical harmony, then reflexes No. 1-4 (1981) are the exceptions. The free harmony and lively rythms make it possible to allow for deeply tragic and lyric impressions with typical double bass techniques.
After Three Dances, Capriccio No. 2, and other works in the 1980's came Capricce No. 3, "Paganiniana" (1990). The techniques of high harmonics in doublestops and expression in the middle section are unique. This capriccio is dedicated to the promising double bassist Jiri Valicek.
Solo No 5 (1992) is, in fact, one big technical study in the style of Jindra Piacek, (born 1908), designed to acquire finger independence, orientation (by the change of positions), and left hand security and strength.
Solo No 6 (1994), the introduction is dominated by double-stop technique which brings out both the melody and bass. The middle section features rythmic passages and variation, and the composition ends with a coda. The first performance was by Zi-ping Chen from China.
On occation I have been asked to write a required composition for double bass compititions. Capriccio No 4 was written 1995 Frantisek Gregora International Double bass Competition held in Kromeriz, Czech Republic.
Capriccio No 5, the required work for the 1996 Rocky Mountain Double Bass Symposium Solo Compitition (Boulder, Colorado) is not as difficult as Capriccio No 4, yet it is vituosic enough.
My wishes are that those who explore these compositions may find great satisfaction and inspiration within them, and this in turn, will give me great pleasure.
-Miloslav Gajdos
Kromeriz, November 1998
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