Preface
For the majority of the instrument's history, the double bass has existed in an ephemeral state. Across Europe the instrument varied regionally, and use of different tunings, string quantities, in addition to differing performance practices, hampered the development of pedagogical materials for the instrument. This tumultuous history contributed to the delay of the first educational materials for the double bass, which wouldn't be developed until the turn of the 19th century when the instrument’s construction began to stabilize.
"The Great-Bass or the Violon, from the Italian Violone* is the eighth kind of stringed instrument. This Violon is also made in various sizes, but the tuning remains the same. It needs to be strung according to its size [albeit the difference must be observed in stringing it]. Because the Violon is much bigger than the Violoncello, it is tuned a whole octave lower. Usually it has four strings [at times only three], but the larger ones may have five. [With these five-stringed Violons, or Double-Basses, bands of rather thick cord are attached to the neck at all the intervals, in order to prevent the strings from slipping, and to improve the tone. One can also perform difficult passages more easily on such a Bass, and I have heard concertos, trios, solos, and so forth performed on one of these with great beauty. But I have observed that in accompanying with any strength for the purpose of expression, two strings are frequently to be heard simultaneously on account of the strings being thinner and lying nearer together than those of a Bass strung with but three or four strings."
-Leopold Mozart from treatise on violin playing, published in 1756.
Purpose
The focus of this research emerged from noticing a pattern between the increasing quality of bassists in Central Europe; particularly in the genre of solo music, and the development of pedagogical materials for the double bass during this time. Further examination elucidated that these materials were created by Czech bassists who trained at the Prague Conservatory and became professors throughout prominent conservatories in Central Europe.
Therefore, the goal of this website is to connect the traditions of multiple schools; as it has developed from its beginnings with the construction of the music conservatory in Prague in 1808, link these institutions together by analyzing teacher-student relationships, providing access to updated biographical information, and maintaining a database for bassists to discover the works by musicians associated with this school.
The Prague Conservatory: An Overview
The Prague Conservatory was originally founded in 1808 as a center for musical and performing arts, primarily as a response to the opening of the Paris Conservatory in 1795. In 1811, Václav House was hired as its first bass instructor having had the reputation as an excellent musician, and a virtuoso in Bohemia. His first book, The Complete Method for Double Bass, was published in 1828, and is the first method written by a bassist for the instruction of bass playing. This tool, among other etudes developed by House, stand as the first educational materials developed for the bassist to acquire the skills for solo and ensemble playing.
"A Noble Instrument Must Be Nobly Regarded"
Frederick Zimmermann, from A Contemporary Concept of Bowing Technique for the Double Bass.
Two-hundred years later, we can see how this method impacted the skill level of bassists throughout the world. Those who can trace their lineage back to House should be aware that his students and students of his students went on to become teachers at some of the most prestigious institutions throughout the world, including the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, the Royal Conservatory in Leipzig, and the Juilliard School in the United States.
Today the Conservatory exists as a four to six year performing arts secondary school where students can prepare themselves for a collegiate program, and many students continue their education at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. It should be noted that other centers of learning exist in Czechia such as The Janacek Academy of Performing Arts in Brno.
About the Author: Geordan Raisler
Geordan Raisler is a versatile musician, performing on both double bass and electric bass, specializing in a range of styles primarily centered on art music by Czech composers, traditional jazz, and folk music. As a musician active in Columbia, South Carolina, Raisler contributes as a section bass player with the Aiken Symphony, performs with the free improv group "The Grand Slam Quartet", and tours nationally with Cigano Swing, a jazz string band emphasizing compositions by Roma musicians. In addition to his performance career, Raisler serves as a bass instructor at Wingate University in North Carolina, driven by his commitment to exploring diverse musical styles to enhance his artistic perspective. He holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts, with a minor in Jazz Performance from the University of South Carolina, having studied under educators such Craig Butterfield, Michael Hill, Kevin Gallagher, and Chuck Archard.