The low-down

August 24, 2008 8:51 AM

Two 20th century additions to the comparatively small body of concertos for double bass and orchestra: Einojuhani Rautavaara's Angel Of Dusk (II, III), from 1980, and the 1948 concerto of Eduard Tubin (II, III). Those are courtesy of YouTube, but if you're not sated you can hear still more from bassist Phillip Serna, and a great deal more, from the fine Contrabass Conversations podcast.
posted by Wolfdog (4 comments total)

Rautavaara has become a relatively well-known name, but the Estonian Tubin remains yet not so well-known despite a healthy crop of well regarded works.
posted by Wolfdog at 9:05 AM on August 24, 2008

Lest we should forget the inimitable Edgar Meyer, virtuosic contrabassist and composer for the instrument as well.
posted by The White Hat at 9:30 AM on August 24, 2008

I'm really liking that Tubin concerto a lot—I'll have to investigate him further. Thanks for the post!
posted by languagehat at 9:52 AM on August 24, 2008

What a small world. I once heard Phillip Serna play the Rautavaara in recital while visiting Northwestern, and it rocked my young impressionable mind. As I recall, he did an encore with a guitar-playing friend consisting of an acoustic, coffeeshop version of "Toxicity" by System of a Down, which was equally awesome.
posted by aliasless at 10:51 AM on August 24, 2008