Bass Vocalise by Russell Steinberg

Locked inside this deep fellow-of-an-instrument lies a passionate soul. And what better thematic idea to bring this quality out than a concert based on the vocalise! I’ve written several pieces now for Jim, but this short song of passion—this Bass Vocalise—is more rooted in the natural tessitura of the instrument than the others I’ve composed. Too often bass pieces cajole the instrument into a cello or viola, an attractive sin. But bass is best as bass, and requires no gender change. It naturally sings just as beautifully as any other string instrument. So while the lyricism in my brief piece aspires to higher regions, those peaks are actually just the resonances of the double bass’s lower roots. Bass Vocalise is dedicated to James Rapport, a persistent and always enthusiastic advocate for this essential instrument.