Essential Classical Works for the Double Bass

Despite there being some great music written for double bass over the last century, including concertos by Sofia Gubaidulina, John Harbison and Einojuhani Rautavaara and others, the double bass, especially compared to the violin and cello, has had comparably few solo works written for it before the twentieth century.

Fortunately, a handful of pioneering composers recognised the expressive depth and unique beauty of this instrument, creating works that remain essential in any bassist’s repertoire. Along with these, many pieces originally written for other instruments adapt beautifully for the double bass. Here, then, we’ve gathered some of the most indispensable pieces every bassist should know—complete with links to sheet music so you can get practising right away!

J.S. Bach—Cello Suites (1717-1723)

Good music is always worth stealing, or in this case adapting, which is just what double bassists have been doing for years. Bach’s six masterpieces work remarkably well on the cello’s larger cousin, though its size does create difficulties that makes them not for the faint of heart. The most famous of the set is undoubtedly the first, with its ravishing, albeit tricky, Prelude.

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf—Concerto for Double Bass in D major (1762)

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (1739–1799) mixed in the same circles as Haydn and Mozart, counting both as friends. He wrote two fine concertos for the double bass, amongst the most significant early examples of the form for the instrument. Concerto No.2 in D, also described as in Eb or E due to variations in transposition and tuning, showcases his talent for writing expressively and technically demanding music for the instrument.

Johann Baptist Wanhal—Concerto for Double Bass (c.1770s)

Czech composer Johann Baptist Wanhal (sometimes spelt ‘Vanhal’ or ‘Wanhall’) lived from 1739–1813, his music earning kudos from the likes of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert. His Double Bass Concerto remains one of the most popular works in the repertoire of the instrument, the work anticipating the virtuosity and expressiveness that composers like Giovanni Bottesini would bring to double bass in the Romantic period.

Franz Schubert – Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821 (arranged for Bass) (1824)

The arpeggione, a kind of cross between a guitar and a cello, is one of music history’s forgotten instruments. Its brief period of popularity did, however, result in this gorgeously tuneful sonata by Schubert, written in 1824. After the arpeggione fell into disuse, the sonata was adapted successfully for other instruments. It works exceptionally well for the double bass:

Giovanni Bottesini—Double Bass Concerto No.2 in B minor (c.1845)

Giovanni Bottesini is a key figure in the development of the double bass. Initially planning to study the violin, he transferred to double bass in order to compete for a scholarship at Milan Conservatory, a feat he accomplished in just a few weeks. He subsequently became one of the most renowned bassists of his era, earning the nickname ‘the Paganini of the double bass.’ He wrote a number of works, including this richly melodic Concerto No.2 in B minor. It is especially remarkable for the its virtuosic solo lines, highlighting his own performing skills whilst pushing forward bass technique more generally.

Giovanni Bottesini—Elegy No. 1 in D major (c.1860s)

Originally part of a set of two piece (Elegy and Tarantella) but now generally performed alone, this short but achingly beautiful work showcases Bottesini’s remarkable talent for melodic writing. Whilst not as technically challenging as his concertos, it nevertheless requires perfect intonation and control, especially in the higher registers, not to mention the ability to sustain long melodic lines with the requisite sense of emotional depth.

Camille Saint Saëns—The Elephant, from Carnival of the Animals (1886)

Saint-Saens' magical menagerie, The Carnival of the Animals contains one of the most famous bass solos ever to have been written, and certainly one that every double bass player should know—The Elephant. This movement, the fifth in the suite, is a musical personification of the heavy-footed mammoth, perfectly conveyed by the plodding sounds of the double bass.

Gustav Mahler—Symphony 1, Third Movement (1888)

Not a solo piece as such, but a rare example of a composer using the double bass as a solo instrument in the orchestra. In this magical moment at the opening of the third movement of Mahler’s Symphony No.1, the double bass sets off a musical canon on a minor-keyed version of the melody Frère Jacques.