High C, The Forgotten Voice Collection (arr. by Axel Becker)

About the Collection

These are Transcription of well-known pieces for Bass, Cello, Viola da Gamba and other instruments, transposed to play on Double Bass in High C Tuning (A – D – G – C)

I call it the forgotten voice because the High C Tuning ( Hohe Solostimmung or Baritonbass in German) was very popular around 1900. But it seems, it has been forgotten since then.

Many Pieces that we play today in high thumb positions might have been played in high C tuning at that time.

But the sound of the „Baritonbass“ is quite different from playing a standard tuning in high positions. Historically it has been described as an instrument on its own, filling the link between double bass and cello. (Warnecke: Ad infinitum, 1909)

And it is much easier to play for students, who might still not be familiar with the higher position, but like to play some „real pieces“ anyway.

All pieces are in the original key, so the official scores for piano accompaniment as well as many recordings on Youtube can be used to play along.

Enjoy!

Axel Becker, Cologne, Germany, 2021

Table of Contents

1. Johann Sebastian Bach Sonate für Viola da Gamba Nr 1, G-Dur 

Adagio, Allegro, Lento, Allegro

2. Johann Sebastian Bach Konzert für Oboe BWV 974

    Adagio

3. Johann Sebastian Bach Konzert für Violine E-Dur, BWV 1042

    Adagio

4. Giovanni Bottesini   Elegie  h-moll

5. Lily Boulanger   Nocturne  F-Dur

6. Frederic Chopin  Cellosonate g-moll

Largo

7. Gabriel Faure  Apres un Reve d-moll

8. Sergei Koussevitzky  Chanson triste e-moll

9. Sergei Rachmaninov Vocalise  d-moll

10. Franz Schubert  aus: Die Winterreise

Gute Nacht

11. Franz Schubert Ständchen D957 c-moll

12. Camillo Sivori  Romance sans Paroles

13. Georg Phillip Telemann Sonate für Viola da Gamba a-moll

Largo, Allegro, Soave, Allegro

14. Antonio Vivaldi Sonate für Violoncelle Bb-Dur

Largo, Allegro, Largo, Allegro

Connect with Axel

Axel's Facebook Profile.