Senad Gacevic: Basses Three - Two Pieces for Bass Trio

About the Composition

Basses Three brings together two colourful and inventive pieces for the intermediate double bass trio, arranged by Montenegrin composer Senad Gačević. Useful for both sight-reading or concert repertoire, there are few technical challenges but wonderful opportunities to develop excellent ensemble skills and to work as a team.

The edition includes a score and parts.

A Small Book on Grief (Sitna kniga na zalosti) is a Montenegrin folk song which is both simple and straightforward. The chordal writing is ideally suited to the double bass trio and it could be repeated a number of times, using a range of dynamics and articulations to create added contrast and interest, with the bassists changing parts on each repeat. One repeat could exclude Bass 3 to produce different textures and sounds and, much like any ensemble, no one notices the bass line until it isn’t there!

Hannane is a traditional Islamic melody with vibrant and exotic harmonies used to produce beautiful and evocative sound worlds. The melody is played by Bass 1 but could easily be shared between the players if all are reading from the score. The trio uses the rich middle register of the double bass, underpinned by Bass 3 with its a strongly supportive bass line, with music which is both player and audience friendly.

About the Composer

Senad Gačević (b.1962) was born in Podgorica (Montenegro - ex Yugoslavia) and studied composition, alongside music theory and pedagogy, at the University of Montenegro - Music Academy with Prof. Željko Brkanović and at the Conservatory "Peter Iljich Tcaykovsky" with Prof. Nikolay Sideljnikov.

He is a Professor at University of Montenegro - Music Academy and is the composer of is solo, instrumental, chamber, symphony and vocal music, including music for theatre and film. His music has been performed throughout Europe including Italy, Spain, France, Russia, Ukraine, Austria, Turkey, Romania, Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosna i Hercegovina, North Macedonia and Kosovo.

Senad Gačević is active as an ethnomusicologist and has made many arrangements of folk music from Montenegro and the Balkan area for different ensembles. His music for double bass is dedicated to the Montenegrin ensemble "Bassonegro".

He received state awards of Montenegro "Oktoih" (2018) for excellent work in pedagogy and "13. July" (2022) national award for national important work in art and science.