PAUL ERHARD’S PERFORMANCES OF SOLO MUSIC FROM THE 1700’S TO THE 2020’S
Paul Erhard, double bass, and Alejandro Cremaschi, piano, perform the three Wanderer’s Songs composed by Luis Jorge González in 1959/60 for voice and piano, and then arranged by the composer in 1996 for double bassist Paul Erhard. The three songs are: Crepuscule The Rosewood of Your Window, Vision. Prior to performing the work, Alejandro Cremaschi provides a translation of the poems into English.
Paul Erhard and pianist Alejandro Cremaschi perform Astor Piazzolla’s “Kicho” for the Sonus International Music Festival, October 22, 2021. Composed to honor double bassist Enrique Kicho Díaz in Piazzolla’s Tango band, the piece is alive with Tango rhythm with many opportunities for “singing” from low to high on the double bass.
Paul’s 2020 COVID video for 5th & 6th graders wondering which instrument to play… the double bass, OF COURSE!!! In this video, Paul Erhard covers a lot of territory, playing short excerpts from a number of works that give a sampling of the broad versatility of the double bass, presenting a wide variety of sounds and moods.
Paul and harpsichordist Robert Hill perform the Henry Eccles Violin Sonata No. 11. In four movements slow-fast-slow-fast, this sonata from the early 1700’s is a favorite on violin, viola, cello, double bass (flute, trombone and more)…. we all love to play this music!
Paul and pianist Margaret McDonald perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise in 2013. Rachmaninoff composed this wonderfully passionate song without words for soprano singer in 1915 to be sung on an “ah” syllable. Vocalise has inspired Paul since his undergraduate bass student years.
Soulful music from India: Paul joins “The King of Indian Violin” Dr. L. Subramaniam for the world premier of Subramaniam’s Double Concerto for violin and double bass, composed for Paul Erhard. Typical of music from India, we hear the tambura drone providing a tonal framework. The slow 2nd movement has a yearning and searchiung quality. Paul composed the double bass cadenza which begins around 4:27 in this performance.
Paul Erhard and Robert Hill, harpsichord, perform the world premiere of Brian Lambert’s New Continuo in 2019. Brian Lambert writes: “I state two contrasting themes at the beginning. The first theme references 18th century contrapuntal practice, while the second theme is a driving groove that utilizes rock and jazz vocabulary. Throughout the course of New Continuo I allow these two themes to melt and stir together, until they re-emerge at the end, transformed by each other’s company.” Paul commissioned New Continuo to celebrate Robert Hill’s joining CU College of Music.
Paul performs the Nino Rota Divertimento Concertante double bass concerto with the Grand Junction Symphony, CO. Rota was a prolific composer of music for film, including his scores for two “Godfather” movies. Rota wrote “Divertimento” for Italian double bass soloist and pedagogue Francesco Petracchi when the two were teaching at Bari University in Southern Italy. Rota incorporates into Divertimento musical ideas he overheard Petracchi practicing daily. Divertimento gives a lot of room for the double bassist’s theatrical imagination.
Paul and Jarkko Rihimaki, piano, perform Giovanni Bottesini’s “Tarantella” during a recital at the international double bass festival Bass 2010 in Berlin. Bottesini (1821-1889) was one of the most influential double bass virtuosos of all time, both for his many extremely demanding double bass compositions that have set the bar for solo double bass players around the world, and for his lengthy career as a soloist. Bottesini was also a highly sought after conductor. He conducted the premier of Verdi’s Aida. Paul was grateful to borrow this fine Pöllmann double bass the day before his Bass 2010 recital from the bass’ makers Michael and Ralph Kramer.
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