Adolf Míšek: Concert-Polonaise for double bass and piano, orchestral tuning (ed. David Heyes)

About the Composition

Concert-Polonaise is a virtuosic showpiece for the advanced bassist and would be an ideal final item in a recital or an encore. In one extended movement but divided into a series of contrasting moods and emotions, it combines technical and music challenges which demonstrate the amazing potential and possibilities of the solo double bass throughout its entire range.

Probably dating from the early years of the 20th-century it is dedicated to František [Franz] Simandl (1840-1912), the double bass teacher of Adolf Mišek, and was first published by C.F. Schmidt (Heilbronn, Germany) as part of High School of Double-Bass-Playing (Die hohe Schule des Contrabass-Spiels), Simandl’s ground breaking nine-volume series of solo pieces by leading bassist-composers of the late-19th and early 20th-century.

In the style of a polonaise (Polacca in Italian) with its characteristic dance-like rhythms and in 3/4 time, the piece is a technical workout for any bassist and holds the audience’s attention from the first note to the last alongside a colorful and vibrant accompaniment which adds drama and rhythmic interest to the mix.

The edition is for double bass in orchestral tuning and includes two bass parts - one without fingerings and one with Mišek’s original fingerings.

A bundle is also available for Concert-Polonaise, Legende Op. 3, Sonata No. 1 Op. 5, and Sonata No. 2 Op. 6 in orchestral tuning.

About the Composer

Adolf Mišek was born in Modletín (Bohemia) on 29 August 1875, the son of a weaver and bandmaster. He studied double bass with František Simandl at the Vienna Conservatoire from 1890-94 and from 1898-1900 was a bassist with the Vienna Hofopernorchester (Court Opera Orchestra), and subsequently with the Vienna Philharmonic. He maintained his Czech connections however by conducting a number of Czech choirs and orchestras in Vienna during these years.

From 1910-1914 Mišek taught double bass at the Neue Wiener Konservatorium (New Vienna Conservatoire) but when the First Czech Republic was established in 1918, after the end of the First World War, he resigned from the orchestra and returned to Prague, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was appointed soloist of the National Theatre Orchestra (1920-34) in Prague and spent the last twenty years of his life as a freelance composer, teacher and bassist. Mišek died in Prague on 20 October 1955.

Mišek composed three sonatas for double bass and piano and the first two have become standard repertoire for almost every conservatoire, university and professional double bassist. Sonata No.1 (Op.5) was published in 1909 and Sonata No.2 (Op.6) in 1911, and it is likely they were written during the early years of the 20th-century and are completely different in terms of style, composition and scope.

About the Editor

David Heyes (b.1960) studied double bass with Laurence Gray and Bronwen Naish, later at the Royal College of Music in London, and completed his post-graduate studies in Prague with František Pošta (Principal Bass, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He has given recitals and masterclasses in 20 countries over the past few years and has been a juror at a number of international competitions, three times as chairman.

David's collaborative work gained him a prestigious award from the David Walter Charitable Trust of New York for his pioneering activities as a soloist, teacher, publisher, and commissioner of new music for double bass and he works with composers throughout the world to expand the double bass repertoire by commissioning new music and by rediscovering forgotten ones. Since 1983 more than 750 works have been written for him, music from one to twenty basses and from beginner to virtuoso, and he has premiered ten contemporary concertos with orchestra.

David began to compose in 2013 and has had music performed and recorded in 32 countries across five continents and is proud to be a D'Addario Performing Artist.