Johann Baptist Vanhal: Double Bass Concerto: Kontrabass mit Begleitung

The unbroken popularity of Vanhal’s sole double bass concerto in competitions and for practice and concert purposes is reason enough for us to publish the work in Breitkopf Urtext. The edition profits from Tobias Glöckler’s experience of many years. As with the other great double-bass concertos of the classical Viennese repertoire (Dittersdorf, Hoffmeister), Glöckler arrives at convincing solutions. He began by filtering out a solid musical text from the source (which was not always free of contradictions) that was supplied with many additions. The disposition of the solo part required detailed knowledge of performance practice, since the work was written in the historical Viennese double bass tuning, and a few passages cannot be played without difficulty on a modern instrument. As with Dittersdorf and Hoffmeister, the piano reduction makes it possible to use three different double-bass tunings (solo, orchestral and Viennese). Moreover, it contains the editor’s virtuoso cadenzas as well. “I have performed the Vanhal in Viennese tuning and it was my thesis topic so I am thrilled to see an edition that makes this tuning so accessible. I highly recommend this all-encompassing edition.” (Marian Heckenburg, Stringendo)