Tony Osborne: Dreamtime for double bass quartet

About the Composition

Dreamtime dates from 2001 and is a vibrant and colourful quartet which abounds with rhythmic energy and drive. There are musical and technical challenges for each player, which is aimed at the intermediate quartet, with effective and evocative music in a jazzy and instantly appealing style.

“Dreamtime expresses the essence of Aboriginal spirituality, tradition and culture. Indeed, many think of it as describing creation itself as the unfolding history of an ancient people.

The piece opens with a pulsating didgeridoo effect, which recurs in different ways throughout the piece and underlines its life force, and some stabbing thematic fragments, all depicting rugged landscape and primitive skills of survival. This develops into positive, almost heroic melodic phrases. As the piece progressed it becomes apparent that the pulsating effect serves as a dual purpose, transforming into an almost bass guitar-like accompaniment as the music adopts a more ‘rock style’.

A short section, where each bassist plays ‘slap-pizz’, breaks up the flow somewhat and leads to a recapitulation of the main themes. The rhythmic intensification drives the piece into a concluding section in 3/4 time which builds into a rousing ‘anthem-like’ finale, celebrating warm and enduring humanity.” [Tony Osborne, 2004]

Dreamtime was commissioned by David Heyes and the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department for a joint workshop with bassists from a school in Sydney (Australia) and was premiered by David Heyes and his students at the Royal Academy of Music in London on 27 April 2002.

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.