Purcell: Chaconne in D minor for double bass quartet (arr. David Heyes)

About the Quartet

Purcell’s Chacony in G minor is originally for viols and could have been written as an independent piece or as incidental music to a play, although scholars are unsure of its date or why it was composed.

Chacony is the original spelling of the piece, changed to the French Chaconne over the years, and is a set of variations over a recurrent ground bass or repeated harmonic progression. It transcribes well for double bass quartet, although transposed into D minor, and bowings and dynamics can be amended by each quartet to create a unique interpretation and performance.

Vibrato can be used as an ornament, and the occasional trill or mordent can be added to great effect.

About the Composer

Henry Purcell (1659-1695) was the greatest English composer of his day, and much of his music is part of the concert repertoire of the 21st century. He was a prolific composer, writing sacred and secular choral music alongside incidental music for the theatre, operas, and instrumental music.