Sergei Koussevitzky was one of the world’s premier conductors and virtuoso bass players whose favorite instrument was an unusually-shaped bass reportedly made in 1611 by the Amati brothers, Antonio and Girolamo. In 1962, 11 years after Koussevitzky’s death, his widow gave the bass to Gary Karr, currently considered to be the world’s premier double bassist. In 2004, Karr donated the bass to the International Society of Bassists. Close inspection by a team of experts in 2004, however, revealed stylistic inconsistencies that suggested a later construction date. We used four reference tree-ring chronologies developed from treeline species in the European Alpine region to anchor the dates for the tree rings from the double bass absolutely in time. The bass yielded a 317-year long sequence, the longest sequence yet developed from a single musical instrument. Statistical and graphical comparisons revealed that the bass has tree rings that date from 1445 to 1761. Based on the strength of these correlations, the spruce tree harvested to eventually construct the double bass likely came from the treeline Alpine area of western Austria, not too far from Obergurgl at the Italian border. Our results demonstrate that the double bass was not made by the Amati Brothers, but likely by French luthiers in the late 18th Century.

Cette recherche met en parallèle les cultures germanophone et francophone par l’entremise de l’histoire de la contrebasse. La problématique consiste à expliquer l’absence de littérature en français sur l’école viennoise de contrebasse, qui s’est développée dans la seconde moitié du XVIIIe siècle et qui a eu une certaine incidence sur le développement de cet instrument. La première section propose une biographie des principaux représentants de cette école, tous contrebassistes virtuoses actifs à Vienne autour de 1750. Suivent un tour d’horizon des œuvres pour contrebasse concertante du classicisme viennois, puis un rappel historique sur le déclin de cette école. Dans la deuxième section, un parallèle est tracé entre l’avancée du violoncelle et le recul de la contrebasse au XIXe siècle. Suivent une présentation des instruments les plus appréciés de cette époque, à savoir le piano, le cor français et le violoncelle, puis une comparaison entre l’évolution de la contrebasse en France et dans les pays germanophones au XIXe siècle. Finalement, la troisième section est consacrée à la renaissance de l’école viennoise de contrebasse, amorcée au milieu du XXe siècle. Pour observer le déploiement de cette évolution dans les cultures française, germanophone et anglo-saxonne, cette section comporte un examen des œuvres publiées par les maisons d’édition spécialisées en musique ainsi que de celles enregistrées par les contrebassistes. / This research draws a parallel between the German and the French cultures through the history of the double bass. The problematic consists in explaining the absence of literature in French about the Viennese school of bass playing, which developed in the second half of the 18th century and had a certain impact on the development of this instrument. The first section proposes a biography of the main representatives of this school, which where all virtuosos double bassists in Vienna around 1750. This is followed by an overview of works for solos double bass of the First Viennese School, and a brief history of the decline of this school. In the second section a parallel is drawn between the progress of the violoncello and the decline of the double bass in the 19th century. This is followed by a presentation of the most appreciated instruments of this era, i.e. the piano, the French horn and the violoncello, and a comparison between the evolution of the double bass in France and in the German speaking countries in the 19th century. Finally, the third section is dedicated to the renaissance of the Viennese school of bass playing, which was initiated half way through the 20th century. To look closer to this evolution in the French, German and Anglo-Saxon cultures, this section also includes a review of works published by music publishers and those recorded by double bassists. / Diese Forschung will zwei Kulturen, die deutschsprachige und die französische, in Verbindung mit der Geschichte des Kontrabasses bringen. Die Fragestellung besteht darin, das Versäumnis der französischen Literatur über die Wiener Kontrabassschule zu erklären, eine Schule die sich in der zweiten Hälfte des 18. Jahrhunderts entwickelt und die eine Wirkung auf die Entwicklung dieses Instrumentes gehabt hat. Im ersten Abschnitt wird eine kurze Biographie der Hauptvertreter dieser Schule vorgeschlagen, die alle Kontrabassvirtuose und um 1750 in Wien tätig waren. Es folgt ein Überblick der Werke der Wiener Klassik für konzertanten Kontrabass, dann ein historischer Exkurs über den Niedergang dieser Schule. Im zweiten Abschnitt wird eine Parallele zwischen dem Vorsprung des Violoncellos und dem Rückgang des Kontrebasses im 19. Jahrhundert gezogen. In diesem Abschnitt werden desweiteren die bevorzugten Instrumente dieser Epoche, nämlich das Klavier, das Horn und das Violoncello diskutiert, und die Entwicklung des Kontrabasses in Frankreich und im deutschsprachigen Raum im 19. Jahrhundert verglichen. Schließlich widmet sich der dritte Abschnitt der Renaissance der Wiener Kontrabassschule, die in der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts begann. Um eine richtige Betrachtung der Entfaltung dieser Entwicklung in den französischen, deutschsprachigen und angelsächsischen Kulturen zu ermöglichen, findet sich in diesem Abschnitt ebenfalls eine Untersuchung der Werke, die von den Musikverlagen veröffentlicht wurden wie auch derjenigen, die von den Kontrabassisten aufgenommenen wurden.

Den föreliggande studien är en självobservation med syfte att studera hur min inlärningsprocess tar form vid instuderingen av stycket Old French Song för solokontrabas, och studien utgår ifrån ett designteoretiskt perspektiv på lärande. Instuderingsprocessen fortgick under fem veckor hösten 2018 med sammanlagt 22 övningspass. Av dessa dokumenterades fem med hjälp av videoinspelning. I resultatet presenteras de resurser som användes vid designen av inlärningen, och på vilket sätt de användes. Resultatet visar också på vilket sätt resurser kombinerades för att göra inlärningsprocessen multimodal. I diskussionen diskuteras resultatet med utgångspunkt i tidigare forskning om instudering samt i relation till det designteoretiska perspektivet på lärande. / The present study is a self-observation meant to study how my learning process takes shape during the studying of the piece Old French Song, played on the double bass. The study is based on a design theoretical perspective on learning. The learning process proceeded for five weeks during the autumn of 2018, making for a total of 22 separate practice occasions of which five was documented using video recording. The result shows the different resources used in the design of my learning process, and the different ways they were used.  It also shows in what way different resources were combined to form a multimodal learning process. The last section discusses the result based on previous research on the studying of musical pieces, and in relation to a design theoretical perspective on learning.

Orientador(a): Sonia Marta Rodrigues Raymundo / Banca: Gisela Gomes Pupo Nogueira / Banca: Walter Garcia da Silveira Junior / Resumo: A presente pesquisa aborda os elementos musicais e estruturais de diversos sotaques do Bumba Boi maranhense, trazendo também, a partir da análise desses elementos, propostas para a performance do contrabaixo nesse gênero tradicional brasileiro. O Boi é tema de inúmeras manifestações populares em todo o Brasil. Do Boi de Mamão de Santa Catarina aos grandes espetáculos do Boi Bumbá de Parintins, de norte a sul do país encontramos gêneros tradicionais que têm o Boi como figura central. Registrado em agosto de 2011 como Patrimônio Cultural do Brasil, o denominado Complexo Cultural do Bumba-Meu-Boi do Maranhão é um fenômeno sócio cultural de enormes proporções cujo auge do ciclo - o batismo do Boi - acontece no dia de São João Batista, seu padroeiro maior, a quem são oferecidos como pagamento de promessas ou afirmação da devoção as brincadeiras do Bumba Boi maranhenses. A metodologia adotada passa por revisão de literatura e análise de dois acervos audiovisuais envolvendo procedimentos teórico-reflexivo e analítico. Elementos musicais e estruturais desta tradição popular são analisados nos principais sotaques do Bumba Boi, como chamam as especificidades de cada conjunto, a saber: Sotaques de Matraca ou Ilha, Baixada (Capital), Pandeirões ou Pindaré, Zabumba, Costa de Mão, Baixada Interior e Orquestra, propondo, para cada um desses diferentes sotaques, elementos idiomáticos e técnicos para a performance do contrabaixo nesse gênero / The present research deals with the musical and structural elements of several Bumba Boi maranhense accents, also presenting, from the analysis of these elements, proposals for the performance of the double bass in this traditional Brazilian genre. The Ox is the theme of countless popular demonstrations throughout Brazil. From Boi de Mamão de Santa Catarina to the great spectacles of Boi Bumbá de Parintins, from north to south of the country we find traditional genres that have the Ox as the central figure. Registered in August of 2011 as Cultural Heritage of Brazil, the Cultural Complex of the Bumba-Meu-Boi of Maranhão is a socio-cultural phenomenon of enormous proportions whose peak of the cycle - the baptism of the Ox - happens on the day of Saint John the Baptist, his patron, who are offered as pledges of promise or affirmation of devotion to the games of Bumba Boi maranhenses. The methodology adopted consists of literature review and analysis of two audiovisual collections involving theoretical-reflexive and analytical procedures. Musical and structural elements of this popular tradition are analyzed in the main accents of Bumba Boi, as they call the specificities of each set, namely: Accents of Matraca or Island, Baixada (capital), Pandeirões or Pindaré, Zabumba, Hand Coast, Baixada Interior and Orchestra, proposing for each one of these different accents idiomatic and technical elements for the performance of the contrabass in this genre / Mestre

O presente projeto pretende analisar os fundamentos mecânicos das atividades musculares, com estudos detalhados e relacionados que trarão à baila aspectos práticos, biomecânicos, fisiológicos e teóricos, como também distinções técnicas, vantagens e desvantagens em certos métodos adotados no passado, na atualidade e perspectivas do Contrabaixo Acústico, no século XXI. / This project aims to examine the fundamentals of mechanical muscle activity, with detailed and related studies. It will bring to the fore the practical aspects, biomechanical, physiological and theoretical distinctions as well as technical advantages and disadvantages of certain methods adopted in the past, present and prospects Acoustic Bass, in the twenty-first century.

François Rabbath a maintenant plus de 80 ans ; il sillonne toujours le monde en tant que soliste et professeur. Sa contribution majeure à la pédagogie de la contrebasse est sa méthode en 4 volumes : La nouvelle technique de la contrebasse. Sa méthode est une nouvelle approche de l'enseignement de la contrebasse.Pour F. Rabbath, la qualité de la musique depend de : l'instrument, les cordes, l'archet, la position des mains.Sa contrebasse datée de 1936, a été fabriquée par Ch. Quenoil. C'est un instrument pour les solistes aux petites épaules, mais par sa sonorité est ample comme celle d'un instrument de l'orchestre, l'ampleur qui se combine avec la facilité de jeu d'une petite contrebasse.En s'intéressant à la pique comme à un axe d'équilibre entre le bas et la tête de l'instrument, il découvrit aussi que le matériau dont la pique est construite permet d'avoir plus ou moins de vibrations.Le luthier Ch. Laborie avec F. Rabbath ont eu l'idée d'une solution élégante, une tige de carbone mise directement en bas de la contrebasse dans l'angle précis. Cette nouvelle version de la pique s'appelle la « pique Rabbath-Laborie ».Gerold Genßler (chef d'une entreprise allemande indépendante de fabrication de cordes) demanda de l'aide à F. Rabbath pour découvrir le son d'une nouvelle corde ; F. Rabbath joua ensuite avec ces cordes.Dans la Nouvelle technique de la contrebasse, F. Rabbath a divisé la touche en 6 positions, définies en fonction de l'harmonie naturelle des cordes. Cela vient de l'utilisation élargie du placement des doigts, non pas de l'extension du mouvement. Cela vient aussi de l'élargissement de la main pour atteindre de nouvelles notes : F. Rabbath appelle cette technique pivot. Le joueur peut utiliser par exemple la position 1, 2 ou 3, sans forcément bouger la main, mais seulement en plaçant le pouce à la bonne place, et en remuant la main d'avant en arrière. Cette méthode de pivot permet la succession de différentes positions.La technique du crabe découverte par F. Rabbath est constituée par le mouvement de la main qui ressemble à la marche d'un crabe, de côté. Il permet à une partie de cette main de bouger lorsque l'autre est immobile, puis inversement. Ainsi elle peut monter et descendre le long de la corde dans certains passages sans changer de position.F. Rabbath a développé un nombre important de variation de coups d'archet. Cette méthode est différentes des autres qui se concentrent sur certains segments de la contrebasse plutôt qu'uniquement sur la touche.F. Rabbath a travaillé sur la théorie qui contribue au développement de la méthode d'enseignement de la contrebasse, à travers ses années d'enseignement et sa riche expérience, il donne plus d'importance à la relation entre l'interprétation et l'éducation. Dans cette méthode, il développe l'art d'être un artiste et son désir de partager sa passion de la contrebasse. / Although F. Rabbath is more than 80 years old, he goes on traveling all over the world as a soloist and as a teacher. The major contribution of the double-bass pedagogy is the method of the double-bass playing published in the four volumes of the Nouvelle technique de la contrebasse (trad. New Technique of double-bass).His Nouvelle technique de la contrebasse is a new approach to double-bass playing in the pedagogy of this instrument. For F. Rabbath, to get a good quality of music all is important : the sound of the instrument, of the string, of the bow and also the position of the hands, etc.His double-bass was built by Charles Quenoil in 1936. It is the instrument for soloists with « small shoulders », and with a pitch like an orchestral instrument. It seems that this form combines the size of an orchestral instrument sound with the easiness of the playing of a small double-bass.F. Rabbath discovered how the endpins influence the playing. By focusing on the endpins as a balance between the bottom and top of the instrument, he also discovered how the material used for endpins allows more or less vibrations.He and Christian Laborie « took the idea to an elegant solution with a graphite rod installed directly into the end block at the proper angle.1» The new and improved version is called The Rabbath-Laborie Endpin.
Gerold Genßler, germany independent production, asked F. Rabbath for help discovered the new string sound. After his production, F. Rabbath play with these strings.
In Nouvelle technique de la contrebasse F. Rabbath divided the fingerboard into six positions, defined by the location of natural harmonics on the strings. This is done by using extension fingerings, not extensions with shifts. It is an extension where there is a widening of the hand to reach a new note. F. Rabbath called this technique « pivot ».The player can use for example first, second, third positions without the need for shifts but only by placing the thumb in an appropriate place and just rocking the hand back and forth. Thus, the pivot method enables the succession of several different positions. The « Crab Technique », is another technique discovered by Francois Rabbath. The hand movement resembles a crab's sideways walking : allows for part of the hand to move while the other part remains and vice versa - in this way the hand can move up and down the strings in certain passages without ever fully shifting.
F. Rabbath has also developed a number of bowing variations, from whole notes to even faster, middle, tip, and then middle parts of the bow.F. Rabbath works on the theory contributes to the development of the teaching methodology of the double-bass. Over the years has been, still is, teaching the importance of the movement and the position of the body, more than musical. For him, this is the base towards good interpretation of any level of music.In his method François Rabbath also develops his art of being an artist and the desire to share and pass his passion for the double-bass.

Orientador: Sonia Marta Rodrigues Raymundo / Banca: Fausto Borém de Oliveira / Banca: Sonia Regina Albano de Lima / Resumo: Este trabalho discute técnicas estendidas (TE) para contrabaixo acústico aplicadas em práticas de performance e em procedimentos de ensino do instrumento no Brasil. O conceito de técnicas estendidas aqui utilizado compreende duas visões muito aceitas atualmente por estudiosos do tema: elementos inovadores ou elementos tradicionais em contextos diferenciados (Ray, 2011). A revisão da literatura apresentada traz os principais trabalhos sobre o tema publicados no Brasil além de alguns selecionados da literatura estrangeira. Dentro deste contexto, foram escolhidas cinco composições do repertório brasileiro contemporâneo para contrabaixo solista ou de câmara que utilizam as TE. São elas: Interação (1985) para contrabaixo e piano de Raul do Valle (n.1936), Die Berge (1990) para contrabaixo solo de Silvia de Lucca (n.1960), Adagio (2001) para quarteto de contrabaixos de João Pedro Oliveira (n.1959), Gestos (2010) para contrabaixo, clarinete e trompete de Danilo Rossetti (n.1978) e Resto no Copo (2010) para contrabaixo e live-eletronics de Rael Bertarelli Gimenes Toffolo (n.1976). Estas composições serviram como base para um estudo de uso das TE no processo de preparação para a performance. A experiência de inserir as TE nos planos de ensino dos estudantes de contrabaixo do Instituto Bacarelli (IB)-SP são relatadas. Os resultados incluem ganhos no processo de aprendizagem e criações coletivas de peças para o grupo de contrabaixo. Como principal conclusão este trabalho apresenta possibilidades de aplicação de TE mescladas com técnicas tradicionais tanto na preparação para a performance quanto no estudo técnico do instrumento / Abstract: This discusses extended techniques (TE) applied to acoustic bass performance practices and teaching procedures in this instrument in Brazil. The concept of extended techniques used here includes the two points of view commonly accepted by scholars these days: innovating elements and traditional elements within different contexts (Ray, 2011). The annotaded bibliography includes relevant Brazilian literature on the subject as well as foreign titles. Within this context, five compositions were selected from the contemporary Brazilian contrabass solo or chamber repertoire using of TE. They are: Interação (1985) for contrabass and piano by Raul do Valle (b.1936), Die Berge (1990) for contrabass solo by Silvia Lucca (b.1960), Adagio (2001) for contrabass quartet by João Pedro Oliveira (b.1959), Gestos (2010) for contrabass, clarinet and trumpet by Danilo Rosseti (b.1978) and o Resto do Copo (2010) for contrabass and live-eletronics by Rael Bertarelli Gimenes Toffolo (b.1976). These compositions served as basis for a study on the use of the TE in the process of performance preparation. The experience of using TE in the process of teaching bass students at the Baccarelli Institute (IB) was reported. The results include optimization of the learning process and collective creations of pieces for bass groups. As main conclusion this work presents possibilities of TE mixed with tradiotional techniques applied to both performance preparation and technical studies of the intrument / Mestre

O presente projeto pretende analisar os fundamentos mecânicos das atividades musculares, com estudos detalhados e relacionados que trarão à baila aspectos práticos, biomecânicos, fisiológicos e teóricos, como também distinções técnicas, vantagens e desvantagens em certos métodos adotados no passado, na atualidade e perspectivas do Contrabaixo Acústico, no século XXI. / This project aims to examine the fundamentals of mechanical muscle activity, with detailed and related studies. It will bring to the fore the practical aspects, biomechanical, physiological and theoretical distinctions as well as technical advantages and disadvantages of certain methods adopted in the past, present and prospects Acoustic Bass, in the twenty-first century.

abstract: Double bass drumming is a genre of drum set performance that utilizes a bass drum pedal for both the right and left feet. This allows the feet to function much like the hands, and provides the ability to play faster rhythmic passages on the bass drum that would otherwise be impossible in the classic single-pedal arrangement. The feet are then elevated to new levels of importance, which creates new challenges in four-limb coordination. This double bass drumming tradition has been in use since the mid-20th century, and it has become extremely popular since that time. Today, virtually every drum set retailer offers the double bass pedal as part of their inventory. Many large drum solo competitions, such as the Guitar Center Drum-Off, also include a double bass pedal as part of the provided drum set. However, even with this recent growth in popularity of double bass drumming, there remains a significant lack of scholarly research on the topic. This could be due to the popularity of double bass drumming remaining fairly new, and that the primary implementation of this drumming style remains outside of the art music tradition. This document will help further bring this complex drumming tradition to light by providing an in-depth analysis of the double-bass drumming style through historical overview, explanation of various technical approaches and considerations, and an analysis of common double bass drumming performance practice. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2019

Thesis (M. Mus. (Perf.))--University of Sydney, 2009. / Title from title screen (viewed October 27, 2009) Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music (Performance) to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney. Includes bibliographical references.