Jonas Baetge: Basso Nova, beginner pieces for double bass duet and double bass & piano

About the Book

This compendium was created to celebrate Jonas Baetge's bass studio reaching twenty students. With the exception of one, all of the pieces are written for and dedicated to one or two students, each reflecting different pedagogical goals tailored to the individual. Some pieces were composed primarily to boost morale and provide something enjoyable to play, while others address specific issues such as bowing technique, sound development, or a deeper understanding of the fingerboard. The simplest piece remains entirely in first position, while the final piece offers an introduction to thumb position.

Note: This book is written in Swedish.

About the Composer

Jonas Baetge was born in 1985 in Winterberg. His musical education began with guitar and double bass, before he began working on harmony, counterpoint and musical analysis as well as composition intensively.

After three years of studying the double bass at the music universities in Karlsruhe and Frankfurt, he therefore changed his main subject and began music theory studies in Karlsruhe with Michael Moriz and Uwe Kremp. During this time his main fields of studies were ancient music, choral music of the 19th century and composition. Master classes with Markus Jans and Dominique Müller as well as participation in composition seminars with Wolfgang Rihm complement his education.

In 2014 Jonas Müthing graduated from the Högskola för scen och musik in Göteborg (Gothenburg), where he studied for a master’s degree in composition with Ming Tsao and Ole Lützow-Holm.

Currently he is working as a double bass, music theory and composition teacher at the Borås kulturskola. Apart from that, he sings in two chamber choirs.

In his compositions, Jonas Müthing Baetge focuses on music for choir as well as orchestra. Several musicians and ensembles commissioned pieces from him, such as the Swedish National Orchestra Academy, Die Meistersinger and Musikschule Ettlingen. Due to outstanding achievements he was awarded a scholarship by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. He also recieved Ale kommuns kulturstipendium in 2011.

Apart from his studies, Jonas Müthing was occupied as a research assistant at the Max-Reger-Institut in Karlsruhe and as teacher for music theory. Additionally, he works as freelancing double bassist and composer and together with Annedore Hacker and Uwe Kremp he performs in Galgenliederabend, a cabaret performance based on the poetry of Christian Morgenstern.