Pizzicato Pieces Book 2 (Softcover Book)

A range of more advanced pieces for pizzicato double than in Book 1. Kampi & Kompi are lively and rhythmic with a jazz feel and drive; Two Pieces for TDR are in Latin-Jazz and Swing moods; Two for Ray [Brown] are in memory of the jazz legend and Pizz-Aria 1 is an extended rhapsodic movement full of melodic and lyrical charm but will effective technical challenges. 'These are fine performance pieces which allow the play to explore many possibilities of pizzicato playing while advancing their technique in this area. They are suitable for all but the most elementary levels and their varying lengths enable them to slot neatly into most programmes.' [Double Bassist] 'This set of advanced concert studies moves onfrom Teppo's first collection of pizzicato pieces, and contains many mo re technical challenges. Of the four titles within, half have two seperable movements, thus giving six possible performance pieces. Some are explorations in improvisatory style; others in developing rhythmic patterns. Some are jazz-based (two being dedicated to the late Ray Brown). The set concludes with an extended etude using many double stops. In some ways Pizzicato Pieces 2, although harder overall, complements the first volume by providing a wealth of material to support the learning and performance of advanced pizzicato technique.' [ESTA News & Views] PerformanceLevel: 5;6;7;8 ________________________________________________________ ________________________ Finnish composer and bassist Teppo Hauta-aho, is the most prolific bass composer of our time and since the 1970s has composed almost 300 works for double bass - spanning the entire range of standards from beginner to virtuoso. Teppo Hauta-aho was born in 1941 and studied double bass with Orvo Hyle and Oiva Nummelin in Finland, and Frantisek Posta in Prague. He played with the Helsinki Philharmonic between 1965 and 1972, and the Finnish Opera Orchestra from 1975 to 2000. Heis an active recitalist, both classical and jazz, has given more than 3 00 recitals with his duo partner, Carita Holmström, and is at the cutting edge of modern improvisation - performing with leading improvisers throughout the world. Finnish composer Harry Wessman writes: 'As a composer, Teppo Hauta-aho has always been his own teacher, basing his technicalknowledge on his wide practical musicianship as an orchestral player, c hamber and jazz musician. It would not be an exaggeration to claim that he was the jazz bassist most in demand in Finland in the 1970s, and a few of his works are pure jazz compositions. But the compositional techniques and musical means used in the majority of his works originate in an unusual openness for any devices. Along with modern techniques, his source of inspiration include all the previous stylistic periods in Europeanmusic, impulses from Oriental music and, of course, jazz. His own instr ument, the double bass, has profited especially from his rich inventiveness in finding new means to conjure forth unusual sounds from the instrument, and in applying them in an artistically meaningful and striking way.' Hauta-aho's music has been performed extensively in Finland and abroad, notably in America, Britain, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Soviet Union, Australia and Switzerland. His most famous work Kadenza (1978) has achieved cult-like status, is recognised universally as a 20th-century classic, and is the most performed contemporary work for double bass.