Tony Osborne: Intrada, Romanza & Scherzo for 2 double basses

About the Composition

Intrada, Romanza & Scherzo is a colourful, vibrant and engaging suite of pieces for 2 double basses. Playable singly or as a suite, there are musical and technical challenges for each player, in a range of accessible and fun styles which are both player and audience friendly. They demonstrate not only the expressive range of the double bass but also how two basses can effectively share the roles of soloist and accompanist and interact contrapuntally.

These three impressive and evocative pieces successfully display Tony Osborne's credentials as both a jazz and classical composer. Intrada is like a jazzy saxophone duet full of rhythmic energy and momentum; Romanza has a sultry, siesta-like Mediterranean character contrasted by a fast and furious Scherzo in the style of a lively tarantella.

1. Intrada has a strong bebop/swing influence with cool jazz phrasing, creating colour and atmosphere, and could have been written for two baritone saxophones.

2. Romanza is haunting, flowing and tender with a pronounced Spanish flavour. The sustained Lydian/Ionian ‘vocal’ melody, and calm pizzicato guitar-like accompaniment are shared equally between players, creating a feeling like daydreaming on a beautiful, secluded Mediterranean beach. The second theme, a little more extrovert in thirds.

3. Scherzo is, by contrast, fiery, tarantella-like, full of rhythmic intensity, chromaticism and contrapuntal twists and turns. The first of its three thematic ideas is sinister, bold and forceful, while the second is a brief, happier and luxurious interlude that breaks up the intensity into a more relaxed atmosphere, although the rhythmic drive remains strong. The third is fragmented and curious and leads back into the spirit of the first idea, working its way to a rousing finale.

[Programme note by Tony Osborne]

Composed for David Heyes and Martin Gregg for a ten-concert tour of Mallorca in May 1997, they received their UK premiere with the same players on 31 August at Bass-Fest 1997 (Leighton Park School, Reading, Berkshire).

About the Composer

Born in 1947 into a musical family, Tony Osborne studied at the Royal Academy of Music (London) with John Walton (double bass) and Richard Stoker (composition), and divided a busy career between composing, teaching, and performing. A prolific composer and arranger, Tony's original compositions include works in almost every genre, notably Chaconne Syncopations and Wainwright's Ways for brass

quintet, Celebration Fanfare for brass ensemble, the musical A Fine Time for Wine, a beautiful and dramatic Requiem, and many works for string orchestra. Tony’s music for young bassists is very much at the heart of the teaching repertoire, particularly his jazzy and enjoyable bass trios and quartets, and he had the rare ability to create wonderful music which is always player and audience-friendly.

In 2001 Tony Osborne was elected an ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music) for his pioneering and important work for double bass and was a featured com- poser at Bass-Fest for over ten years. He was a very successful BIBF Composer-in-residence in 2002-3, was a judge for the British Composer Awards and a judge for the BIBF Composition Competition from 1999 until 2015.

Tony Osborne died on 30 March 2019 at the age of 71.