List of compositions for double bass

The following is a non-exhaustive list of notable compositions for the double bass , part of the repertoire of this instrument.

Solo works

• Beth Anderson
  • May Swale
• Lera Auerbach
  • Monolog for double bass solo (1996) (2009)
  • Memory of tango: for double bass solo (2002)
• Katarzyna Bortkun-Szpotan'ska
  • Cael (1982)
• Ina Bottelier
  • Raga: "Sunrise for double bass solo" (1985) (2000)
• Rosemary Clarke
  • Fantasy for Double Bass (1988)
  • LySippus' Apoxyomenos (1988)
  • Happenings (1973)
• Christine Elise Chen
  • Solo Piece For Double Bass (2014)
• Mary Ellen Childs
  • Unfettered
• Virginia Conton
  • Ram (1977)
• Hanne Darboven
  • Opus 17A
• Hans Fryba
  • Suite in the Olden Style for solo double bass
• Margaret Marie Dare
  • Study in G minor; Study in D minor; A Minor Major Study; Bowing Study in 3/8; Study in D major
  • Study in E minor; Semi quaver Study, In "Yorke Studies, Vol. 1." (1972)
• Deirdre Gribbin
  • Maps of Awakening (2021)
• Sofia Gubaidulina
  • Eight etudes (preludes): for double bass solo (1974)
  • 5 Etudes (1965)
  • Pantomime (1966) ^[1]
  • Sonata (1976) pub. Sikorski (1991)
  • Tatar Dance (1992)
  • "Ein EngeL" (1994)
  • Galgenlieder (a3) (Christian Morgenstern) (1995-96)
  • Galgenlieder (a5) (Christian Morgenstern) (1996)
• Sadie Harrison
  • Sparring with Shadows (2013)
• Teppo Hauta-aho
  • Kadenza ^[2]
  • Raphsody for double bass solo
• Alyssa Hess
  • One After Another (1977)
• Hans Werner Henze
  • Serenade for cello transcribed for double bass
  • San Biagio 9 Agosto Ore 1207
• Dorothy Hindman
  • Time management (2004) (2017)
• Eva-Maria Houben
  • Archipelagos
  • Nachtstück
• Catherine Lamb
  • Mirror
• Joëlle Léandre
  • Taxi (1987)
  • Bass Drum
  • A voix Basse (1981)
  • Octobre (1989)
  • For Peter H. (2005)
  • Temoignege
• Anne LeBaron
  • Inner Voice (2003)
• Annea Lockwood
  • Deep Dream Dive (1973)
  • Secret Life (1989)
• Giulia Lorusso
  • Let it Come
• Henri O'Kelly jr.
  • Polyorgane (pub'd 1920)
• Behzad Ranjbaran
  • Ballade for Unaccompanied Contrabass (1999)
• Kajia Saariaho
  • Folia
• Lisa Bost-Sangberg
  • Chroma: from worldlessness: contrabass (2018)
• Claudio Santoro
  • Fantasia Sul América
• Rebecca Saunders
  • Fury
• Amy Williams
  • Don't Tell Susan (1992)
• Ian Wilson
  • Pianura (2004)
• Peteris Vasks
  • Bass Trip

Two or more basses

• Sofia Gubaidulina
  • Mirage: The Dancing Sun
• Kazuko Hayakawa
  • Haiku (1991) ^[3]
• Bertold Hummel
  • Sinfonia piccola for 8 double basses (1978) ^[4]
• Kristin Korb
  • On the Prowl (2005) for 4 double basses
• Bernhard Alt
  • Suite For Four Double Basses
• Joseph Lauber
  • Quartet for Double Basses

Chamber works

• Els Aarne
  • Sonata for Double Bass and Piano Op. 63 (1980)
• Kyoko Abe
  • Quartet (Ariadne) (1980)
• Esther Aeschlimann-Roth
  • Die Zeiten Andern Sich, 7 Audiovisual Pieces (1984)
    • Nachte (1985)
    • Stmfen (1985)
    • Tage (1985)
    • Flicker-teppich (1983)
    • Ein Baum ist ein Baum ist ein Baum (1986)
    • Crisalida (1996)
    • Secoli
    • Spazio
• Elaine Agnew
  • Rite On! (1995)
• Peg Ahrens
  • And then you laughed (1974)
  • Together Again (1971)
• Kathryn Alexander
  • Lemon Drops (1998) (2001) for baritone voice, double bass, and mixed percussion
• Eleanor Alberga
  • Animal Banter (1989)
• Luna Alcalay
  • Trio (1964)
• Kristi Allik
  • L. A. (1979)
• Birgitte Alsted
  • Timileskoven
• Beth Anderson
  • Ghent Swale for Double Bass and Piano (2001)
  • Skater's Suite (1979)
• Anna Amalie, Princess of Prussia
  • Trio (1767-87)
• Caroline Ansink
  • On my Volcano (1994)
• José Antônio Rezende de Almeida Prado (1943-2010)
  • 4 Corais, for double bass and piano
• Violet Archer
  • Six Miniatures for String Bass and Piano (1984) (1986)
• Pauline Louise Henriette Aubert
  • Two Melodies. Senart (1912)
• May Aufderheide
  • Dusts
  • The Thriller
• Maya Badian
  • Dialogues: trumpet and double-bass = trompette et contrebasse
• Elaine Barkin
  • NB Suite ^[5]
• Carol Barnett
  • El Tango Languido (1984)
• Amy Beach transcription for double bass by Alexander Verster
  • Romance
• Sally Beamish
  • Dances and Nocturnes (1986)
  • Five Changing Pictures
• Janet Beat
  • Convergences (1992)
• Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt (1925-2010)
  • Sonata, for double bass and piano
• Kirsty Beilharz
  • Earth Essence: Air, Earth, Water, Stars (1993)
• Carla Huston Bell
  • Ode to Martin Luther King (1976)
• Sylvia Bergen
  • Festival Frolic
• Johanna Beyer
  • Movement for Double Bass and Piano (1936) (1996)
  • Movement for String Quartet (1938)
• Annesley Black
  • Lauf: für neun Musiker (2005)
• Victoria Bond
  • C-A-G-E-D (1972)
  • Seesaw (1987)
  • Old New Borrowed Blues (1986)
• Maria Bonzanigo
  • La Gatta (1990)
• Giovanni Bottesini
  • Romanza: Une bouche aimeé, for soprano, double bass and piano
  • Terzetto: Tutto che il mondo serra (transcription of Etude No.19 in C-sharp minor, Op.25/7 by Chopin) for soprano, double bass and piano
  • Rêverie, for double bass and piano
• Linda Bouchard
  • Propos Nouveaux (1988)
  • Web Trap (1982)
  • Icy Cruise (1984)
  • Possible Nudity (1987)
  • Risky. Maurice Tourigny (1993)
• Nadia Boulanger
  • Three Pieces for Cello and Piano
• Margaret Susan Brandman
  • Jazz Impressions (1976)
  • Flights of Fancy (1976)
• Nancy Louise Briggs
  • Little Song (1982)
• Elizabeth Brown
  • Field Guide (1986)
  • Figures in a Landscape (1995)
• Heidi Bruggmann
  • Landler; Marches; Polkas; Schottisches; Waltzes
• Joanna Bruzdowicz-Titel
  • Party Contra (1982)
• Dorothy Buchanon
  • Three Jacques Prevert Settings (1971)
• Dawn Buckholz
  • 20 Century Duets for Strings (1989)
• Diana Burrell
  • Angelus (1986)
• Cheryl Camm
  • Trombone Sonata (1988)
• Karen Campbell
  • Only One (1974)
  • Duo for Double Bass and Piano
• Edith Canat de Chizy
  • Black-Light (1986)
• Constanza Capdeville
  • In sommo pacis. 1980. Ob, va, db, pf. 58.
  • Valse, valsa, vals: Keuschheits Waltz (1987)
  • 1+1+1+1 (1989)
  • Memoriae, quasi una fantasia I
• Ida Carroll
  • Three Pieces for Double Bass. Forsyth Bros. Db, pf. 44, 66.
  • Five National Dances [Five Simple Pieces] (1988)
• Monic Cecconi-Botella
  • Histoire Breve II. Philippa (1968)
• Julia Cenova
  • Music In the Pause (1988)
  • Monday to Friday, Jazz Cycle (1984)
• Paulo C. Chagas (1953)
  • Canzona I, for double bass and piano
• Janine Charbonnier
  • 240 joursa mEtEo (1982)
• Mary Elizabeth Chaves
  • Silentium (1979)
• Rhona Clarke
  • SoundWorks Suite No. 2 for Young Players (1995)
• Rosemary Clarke
  • Suite (1966)
  • Serpents-Soldiers (1969)
• Harry Crowl (1958)
  • Aethra II, for double bass and piano
• Jeanne Colin-De Clerk
  • Trio, op. 10 (1969)
• Lizzie Cook
  • Move On (1987)
• Constance Cooper
  • The Hour of the Shepard (1989)
• Esther Wallach Crane
  • Cords (1977)
• Margaret Marie Dare
  • Minuet
• Tina Davidson
  • Wait for the End of Dreaming (1984)
  • Quintet (1981)
• Jean-Marie Depeisenaire
  • Sous la neige (1968)
• Margaret DeWys
  • St. Jeronimo Variations (1991)
• Arline Diamond
  • Bass Solo (1965)
• Lycia DiBiase Bidart
  • Adulto e Crianco (1976)
• Tamar Diesendruck
  • The Orchestra (1993)
• Violeta Dinescu-Lucaci
  • Satya III (1981)
  • Satya V (1981)
  • Sonatina (1982)
  • Sleep Song (1982)
  • Toy (1982)
  • Figuren 1 (1990)
  • Scherzo da Fantasia IV (1992)
• Elaine Dobson
  • Two Ruthies (1971)
• Isobel Dunlop
  • Ardkinglas Suite (1967)
• Dorothy Smith Dushkin
  • Fantasy for Three
  • Percussion Plus, Suite
• Rosemary Duxbury
  • Three Dances (1989)
• Sylvia Eichenwald
  • Sie erlischt (1977)
• Adrienne Elisha
  • Quintet (1996)
• Caroline Emery
  • Bass is Beautiful, Vol. 1. 120 melodies
• Caroline Emery and Carol Barratt and Sheila Joynes
  • Bass is Beautiful, Vol. 2. 72 melodies: 48 by Emery, 7 arr. Emery, 1 by Sheila Joynes. 23 accompaniments by Carol Barratt
• Rachel Amelia Eubanks
  • Three Songs (1984)
• Mary Even-or
  • Dances (1961)
• Louise Farrenc
  • Piano Quintet No. 1 in a minor, op. 30. Costallat (1842)
  • Piano Quintet No. 2 in E, op. 31. Costallat (1845)
• Vivian Fine
  • Melos (1964)
• Graciane Finzi
  • Songes (1973-74)
  • Processus 2 (1986)
• Elena Firsova
  • Rakovina [Sea Shell]
• Susan Fisher
  • Song of Vanessa (1976)
  • Honore a B (1983)
• Jennifer Fowler
  • Echoes from an Antique Land (1983)
  • Restless Dust (1988)
• Erika Fox
  • Pas de Deux (1981)
• Dorothea Franchi
  • A Man of Life Upright
• Sherilyn Gail Fritz
  • Childhoods Ago (1978)
• Janina Garscia-Gressel
  • Miniatures (1970)
• Brigitte Gauthier
  • Improvisation et Final (1956)
• Debra Lynn Ginsberg
  • Polyphony 2
• Ruth Gipps
  • Introduction and Carol, op 71 (1988)
• Suzanne Giraud
  • Episode en forme d'oubli (1989)
  • Bleu et Ombre. Visage (1993)
• Peggy Glanville-Hicks
  • Girondelle for Giraffes (1978)
• Diana R. Green
  • Rigorisms, no. 2 (1982) ^[6]
• Maria Grenfell
  • Concertino (1995)
• Margaret Ann Griebling-Haigh
  • Sonata
• Deena Grossman
  • Music of Spaces; Asunder; Expanses; Ellipse; Unfolding (1983)
  • Sea Cliff Hands Quartet
  • Grzondziel, Eleonora. Sonata (1966)
• Radamés Gnattali (1906-1988)
  • Canção e dança, for double bass and piano
  • Valsa triste, for saxophone, double bass and piano
• Sofiya Gubaidulina
  • Sonata for double bass and piano
  • Pantomime (1966) (1991) ^[7]
• Elizabeth Gyring
  • Concert Piece; Largo
• Ann Hanskausen
  • Duo
• Sadie Harrison
  • A Journey, (2015) (2016)
  • Harlequinade (2012)
  • Theo's Lullaby (2021)
  • Flower of the cherry
  • Robin's lullaby: for double bass & piano (2015)
  • Theo's Toddle (2013)
• Sorrel Hays
  • Tuning, no. 1 (1978)
  • Hedstr~m,Ase
  • Touche (1996)
• František Hertl
  • Sonata for Double Bass and Piano (1946)
• Moya Henderson
  • Clearing the Air (1974)
• Paul Hindemith
  • Sonata for Double bass and Piano
• Imogen Clare Holst
  • Homage to William
• Eleanor Hovda
  • Journey music (1981)
  • Music from Several Summers (1972)
  • Earth runner (1966)
  • Firefall (1979)
  • Gargoyles
  • Oracles (1976)
  • Solo for Anthony (1973)
• Bertold Hummel (1925-2002)
  • Sonatina for double bass and piano (1979) ^[8]
• Anne LeBaron
  • Fertility (1971) for flute, marimba, 2 bongos, and double bass
• Arthur Lourié (1892-1966)
  • Sonata for violin and double bass
• Cecilia McDowall
  • Blue Giant (2000)
• Cindy McTee
  • Changes (1996) (2013)
• Flo Menezes (1962)
  • Apologia dos Arquétipos, for double bass and piano
• Florentine Mulsant
  • Sonate pour contrebasse et piano op. 52 (2014)
• Pauline Oliveros
  • Double Basses at Twenty Paces - For two basses, their seconds, referee and tape
  • Trio for Accordion, Trumpet and String Bass (1961)
  • Blue Heron: In Memory of James Tenney for Piano and string bass (2006)
  • Epigraphs in the Time of Aids for Accordion, Trombone, Keyboard
• Sergei Prokofjev
  • Quintet in G minor, Op. 39
• Behzad Ranjbaran (1955)
  • Dance of Life for Violin and Contrabass (1990)
• Elizabeth Raum
  • A poet's day for soprano and string bass
  • Arabesque for English horn and double bass
• Franz Schubert
  • Trout Quintet in A major, D.667
• Alexander Shchetynsky
  • Seven Screen Shots for double bass and piano (2005)
• Germaine Tailleferre
  • Impressionisme for flute, double bass and two pianos
• Raul do Valle (1936)
  • Interação, for double bass and piano
• Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
  • Excursion (2017) for bass and piano

Concertante works

Concertos

• Els Aarne
  • Concerto for Double Bass (1968) double bass and orchestra
• Ardashes Agoshian
  • Concerto for Double Bass and a cappella choir "Romeo and Juliet" (2011)
• Kalevi Aho
  • Double Bass Concerto (2005)
• Mauricio Annunziata
  • Concerto No. 1 for Double Bass and Orchestra "Argentino", Op. 123 (2015)
  • Concerto No. 2 for Double Bass and Orchestra "Afroargentino", Op. 125 (2015)
  • Concerto No. 3 for Double Bass and Orchestra "Porteño", Op. 129 (2016)
• Francine Aubin
  • Concert pour Ariane (1988)
• Judith Bailey
  • Double Bass Concerto in the Style of Haydn (2008) (2017)
• Ragnhild Berstad
  • Origo (1989-91) for Solo Double Bass and String Quartet
• Anatoly Bogatyrev
  • Double bass concerto (1964)
• Giovanni Bottesini
  • Gran Concerto in F♯ minor
  • Concerto No. 2 in B minor
  • Concerto No. 3 in A major (concerto di bravura)
• Joanna Bruzdowicz-Titel
  • Concerto (1982)
• Antonio Capuzzi
  • Concerto in D (F) major
• Georgi Conus
  • Concerto in h moll, op.29 (1910)
• Andrzej Cwojdziński
  • Concerto
• Peter Maxwell Davis
  • Strathclyde Concerto No. 7 for Double Bass and Orchestra (1992)
• Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf
  • Concerto in E♭ major
  • Concerto No. 2 in E Major
• Domenico Dragonetti
  • Concerto in G major, D290
  • Concerto in D dur
  • Concerto in A major no 3
  • Concerto in A major no 5
  • Concerto in A major (Nanny)
• Pere Valls i Duran
  • Gran Concert Obligat
• Fernand Fontaine
  • Concerto As dur
• Jean Françaix
  • Concerto for double bass and orchestra (1974)
• Harald Genzmer
  • Concerto for Kontrabass and String Orchestra (1996) ^[9]
• Thomas Goss
  • Double Bass Concerto in E Minor
• Jamie Tait-Glossop
  • Concerto in D major, Op. 5
• Teppo Hauta-aho
  • Hippovariaatioita putkessa ja ilman (Hippo-Variations Within a Tube Without, 1983) ^[10]
• Hans Werner Henze
  • Double Bass Concerto (1966)
• Franz Anton Hoffmeister
  • Concerto No. 1 in D major
  • Concerto No. 2 in D major
  • Concerto No. 3 in D major
• Robin Holloway
  • Concerto for Double Bass and Small Orchestra Op. 83 (2002) ^[11]
• Fredrik Högberg
  • Hitting the First Base, concerto for double bass and strings
• Jiří Hudec
  • Burleska for double bass and orchestra (1981)
• Konstantin Ivanov
  • Concerto "In Romantic Style" for Double Bass and Orchestra
• Gordon Jacob
  • Concerto for Double Bass (1972)
• Tadeusz Zygfryd Kassern
  • Concerto op. 12 for Double-bass solo
• Serge Koussevitsky
  • Concerto in F♯ minor, Op. 3 (1902)
• Edward Kravchuk
  • Concerto for Double Bass, Drum set, Piano and Strings (2014)
• Serge Lancen
  • Concerto pur contrebasse et cordes
• Anne Lauber
  • Intermezzo #1) for double bass and orchestra
• Juliusz Łuciuk
  • Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra
• Raymond Luedeke
  • Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra (1997) ^[12]
• Gennady Lyashenko
  • Concerto for Double bass and chamber orchestra (1989)
• Rolf Martinsson
  • Double Bass Concerto
• Missy Mazzoli
  • "Dark With Excessive Bright" for double bass and strings
• Edgar Meyer
  • Concerto in D for Double Bass and Orchestra (2002)
• Aleksandar Miljković
  • "Trio Olivera" solo concert for Double Bass and Orchestra (2022)
• Virgilio Mortari
  • Concerto per Franco Petracchi
• Edouard Nanny
  • Concerto in E minor
• Wenzel Pichl
  • Concerto in D major
• Stefan Boleslaw Poradowski
  • Double Bass Concerto
• Behzad Ranjbaran
  • Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra (2018)
• Elizabeth Raum
  • Concerto for Double Bass and orchestra (1993/1995)
• Einojuhani Rautavaara
  • Angel of Dusk, concerto for double bass and orchestra (1980)
• Anthony Ritchie
  • Whalesong (2006)
• Malcolm D Robertson
  • Concerto for Double Bass & small orchestra (2020)
• Aldemaro Romero
  • Concierto risueño
• Nino Rota
  • Divertimento Concertante for double bass and orchestra (1968–1973)
• Rebecca Saunders
  • Fury II (2009)
• Tatyana Pavlovna Sergeyeva
  • Concerto (1980)
• Nikos Skalkottas
  • Double Bass Concerto (1942)
• Johannes Matthias Sperger
  • Concerto in D major, No. 15
• Eduard Tubin
  • Double Bass Concerto (1948)
• Johann Baptist Wanhal
  • Double Bass Concerto
• Inna Abramovna Zhvanetskaia
  • Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra (1978)

References

1. Soviet Composers' Alliance, 1981
2. White, John; Christensen, Jean; Kornhonen, Kimmo (2002). New Music of the Nordic Countries. Pendragon Press. p. 194. ISBN   9781576470190 . Retrieved 22 November 2018.
3. Japan Federation of Composers
4. Schott Music, New York
5. "American Composers Alliance". American Composers Alliance
6. "American Composers Alliance". American Composers Alliance.
7. Soviet Composers' Alliance
8. Boosey & Hawkes
9. Ries & Erler, Berlin
10. Korhonen, Kimmo (2001), Hauta-Aho, Teppo, Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.45888
11. Boosey & Hawkes
12. "American Composers Alliance". American Composers Alliance.