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Double Bass

Fr. contrebasse; Ger. Kontrabass; It. contrabasso

Repertoire

Browse the Music Library shelves for scores.

Call number ranges with descriptions
Call numbers	Description
M 55 - 58	double bass alone with no accompaniment
M 237 - 238	double bass with piano or continuo
M 238	double bass sonatas
M 1018	double bass with full orchestra, or with piano reduction of orchestral part, concertos, etc.
M 1118	double bass with string orchestra, full scores or piano reduction of string orchestra part
MT 320 - 330	studies, methods, and technique
MT 331	orchestral excerpts

The following sources are useful in identifying appropriate repertoire (alone and in combination with other instruments):

Comprehensive Catalog of Music, Books, Recordings and Videos for the Double Bass by Murray Grodner
Call Number: ML128.D6G76 2000
Geschichte des Kontrabasses by Alfred Planyavsky; Herbert Seifert
Call Number: ML925 .P53 1984
The Anhang (appendices) offers: bibliographies of writings (in English,French, German, Italian and Czech) about the double bass; repertoire lists including: methods, studies,repertoire anthologies, orchestral studies, chamber music (with lists of duos, and all ensembles from trios through nonets - with or without piano), concert literature (includes both accompanied and unaccompanied works, and works with orchestra), and transcriptions; discography and indexes.
Supplement to string music in print: including Composer index by Margaret K. Farish
Call Number: ML128.S7F42
Publication Date: 1968
String music in print. 1984 supplement by Margaret K. Farish (Editor)
Call Number: ML118.M956 v.6 suppl. 1984
String music in print. 1998 supplement by Margaret K. Farish (Editor)
Call Number: ML118.M956 v.6t suppl. 1998
Chamber music: an international guide to works and their instrumentation by Victor Rangel-Ribeiro; Robert Markel
Call Number: ML128.C4R3 1993
"...over 8,000 listings of pieces for three to 20 musicians. Culled from over 100 catalogues of music publishers worldwide plus other sources, Chamber Music covers the last 500 years of music. It includes not only a complete listing of the standard chamber music repertoire but thousands of other, lesser-known pieces written for an array of instrumental combinations - including the voice. More than 5,000 listings are for 20th-century music."
Orchestral Excerpts : A Comprehensive Index by Carolyn Rabson
Call Number: ML128.O5R2 1993
Provides an index to orchestral excerpts for all standard orchestral instruments.
Canadian chamber music = Musique de chambre canadienne
Call Number: ML128.C4C34 1980
This work also includes solo works for instrumentalists.

Recordings

"double bass" AND discography (library catalogue search)
Audio and Video Resources
Western's Don Wright Faculty of Music Student / Faculty / Guest Artist Recitals

Performance Practice

Historically-informed performance is an ongoing consideration for all performers. The following sources may prove useful:

Performing Baroque Music by Mary Cyr
Call Number: ML457.C9 1992
"This practical guide is devoted to the important issues of baroque performance practice. Listeners and performers will find the analytical tools they need to understand and interpret period works. Scores for 11 works are included."
Rhythmic Alteration in 17th and 18th Century Music by Stephen E. Hefling
Call Number: ML437 .H43 1993
"...provides a comprehensive compendium of what is known about notes inegales and overdotting, including tables and summaries that make pertinent historical evidence readily accessible to performers and scholars alike."

One can often gain a useful perspective on performing practice by consulting the tutors and methods of past eras. These historical sources provide valuable information on fingerings, and how to perform figures, ornaments, crescendos, etc. The following sources may prove useful:

The history of musical instruments: manuals, tutors and méthodes : a listing and guide to part one of the Research Publications Microfilm Collection by Tim Byard-Jones
Publication Date: 1988
part 1. Instrumental tutors from the Bate collection of musical instruments, Oxford and the private library of Philip Bate (10 reels) -- pt. 2. Tutors and methodes from the F.J. Fetis Collection at the Bibliotheque Royale Albert Ier, Brussels (26 reels).

Background and History

Relevant resources can be found by searching Western Libraries' catalogue using the following words in the Subject field.

The following sources may also be useful:

A new history of the double bass by Paul Brun
Call Number: ML920 .B785 2000
The Baroque Double Bass Violone by Alfred Planyavsky; James Barket
Call Number: ML927.V63P613 1998
"The most exhaustive study of the double bass violone accessible to English-speaking musical enthusiasts. This book includes lists of terminology, the most comprehensive bibliography to date, and 48 illustrations that make this a complete compendium of string bass research."
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians by Stanley Sadie (Editor); John Tyrrell (Editor)
Call Number: ML100.G8 2001
Detailed and scholarly information on the history of the instrument and its repertory.

Double Bass - Oxford Bibliographies

Grove Music Online
Includes: The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (1992), The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edition, The Norton Grove Dictionary of Women Composers (1994), The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition (2013), and The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, 2nd edition (2014).

Periodicals

Western Libraries subscribes to the following relevant periodicals (AKA journals or magazines):

The following Subject searches in the library catalogue may provide useful results: