There are certain instruments that never were intended for solo roles in the musical world, instruments whose acoustical properties are not compatible with the human ear’s long-term comfort level. Which is to say, the prospect of listening to an hour of double bass playing to me seemed longer on curiosity-satisfaction than aesthetic pleasure. But there’s no arguing with what many years of grueling, solitary study on an underappreciated instrument–and a musicianly ego–can do for the repertoire of tubas, piccolos, bassoons, and accordions. Not to mention the lowly, often lonely bass, which, as has been proven many times before this recording by Polish virtuoso Boguslaw Furtok–by soloists such as Knut Guettler, Jorma Katrama, Barbara Sanderling, and any one of three or four double bass quartets (!)–can be a very ingratiating instrument. The thing is, as you listen to Giovanni Bottesini’s (1821-89) appealing but unremarkable Romantic scores (he was known as the “Paganini of the double bass”), you realize, as in most such unusual-instrument works, the concertos could just as well be for cello or viola, and the main point is to marvel not at the music but at the player. How can anyone make such a large, seemingly cumbersome instrument do things that it shouldn’t have any business doing? And I don’t just mean super-fast runs that cellists do as a matter or course, but sweet, flowing legatos in high registers that could fool anyone into thinking this actually was a cello.
The bottom line, so to speak, is that this instrument has an undeniable feel-in-your-bones resonance that wears on you after a while, so if you’re at all curious about hearing what a double bass sounds like as featured soloist in a big Romantic concerto, it’s best to take one piece at a session–and since the two concertos are virtually interchangeable, it really doesn’t matter where you start. The more interesting work is the Gran Duo for two double basses, in Furtok’s own orchestration, full of flashy, dazzling, dramatic effects that highlight the instrument’s individuality. Furtok is a full-fledged master of his bass, and his energetic performances give the impression that it would be really cool to see this guy play live. The sound is dense and lacks detail–except you have no trouble hearing, and feeling, that bass.
