Repertoire that
features the double bass
The earliest known concerto for double bass
was composed by Haydn in around 1763. The
double bass was very popular during the 18th
century and many composers wrote double
bass concertos, including 18 concerto by
the composer Johannes Matthias Sperger.
Undoubtedly the most famous double bass
piece from this era is Mozart’s concert aria
Per questa bella mano, which features an
impressive solo double bass part. There are a
number of well-known pieces of chamber music
that include the double bass, such as Schubert’s
Trout Quintet, Dvorak’s String Quintet in G
major, and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.
However it wasn’t until the 20th century that
the double bass really became known as a solo
instrument, with composers including Philip
Glass, Elliot Carter, Sofia Gubaidulina and Paul
Hindemith all contributing important works.