Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-02-06
Album Features
koussevitzky
OnDOuble Bass.
By Alice Eversmon

What will surely rank as a collec-
tors item Of great value is the album
of double bass recordings by Serge
Koussevitzky recently issued by RCA
Victor. The issue is limited one
and devised as souvenir of the 25th
anniversary season of the conductor
as head Of the Boston Symphony.
Proceeds will be added to the Kous-
sei'itzky 25th anniversary fund
established this year to benefit the
orchestra. The fund is an outcome
Of the desire on the part Of those
who have enjoyed the symphony
programs to honor the conductor In
q special way on his retirement at
-the end of this season. It was his
wish that any such tribute take the
form of q gift to the orchestra.
r. The collection of recordings con-
eists of the "Andante" from the
concerto Koussevitzky wrote for the
instrument, his "Chanson Triste"
and "Valse Miniature" Eccles'
Largo" and Laska's Lullaby" With
the exception of the "Chanson" and
the Largo" which were recorded
and circulated 20 years ., the
other numbers are released for the
first time. 1t was in 1929 when his
duties as the Boston conductor &C.
cupied so much of his time, that he
abandoned the solo performances
on the double bass. Two years pre-
viously he had given recital in
Symphony Hall and one in Carnegie
Hall the following season. At the
end of his solo career, he made
several recordings for Victor but
they are not widely known.
More than the interest attached
rio the acquaintance of Koussevitzky
'sas a virtuoso as well as conductor.
is the fact that double bass players
of a proficiency to give public con-
certs and make recordings are too
few to matter The difficulties Of
the instrument, its dark and cum
bersome tone and the lack of solo
literature have confined it almost
exclusively to the orchestra. The
Koussevitzky recordings, however,
show that these hindrances can be
overcome in the hands of an artist
and virtuoSo. The tone which the
noted conductor draws is velvety and
light, resembling more that of a
cello. He is a master of artistic
effects on the instrument as he is
in conducting the orchestra. One
of his hopes in permitting the re-
lease of the album is that more
people will realize the possibilities
of the instrument and dedicate
themselves to its study. Only 1000
copies of the album are available
now, but if the demand warrants
It, a reprint may be made.
Koussevitzky had the choice of
the horn, trombone or double bass
as required solo instrument when
he applied for admission to the
Philharmonic School in Moscow. He
selected the double bass. His first
bid for fame was made at a pupils
concert when he amazed the listen
ers by what he could do with the
unwieldy instrument. Not loEg
after, his name was known not only
in Russia but throughout Europe
and he was in great demand as
soloist. One of his more important
appearances was with the Gewand-
haus Orchestra in Leipzig with
Artur Eikisch as conductor.
The life stories of the two pre-
ceding famous opponents of the
double-bass, Domenico Dragonetti
and Giovanni Bottesini, are not un-
like that Of Koussevitzky. The lat
ter was also a conductor and both
virtuosi composed, providing what
literature there is for the instru.
ment. Both attracted attention to