# Romantic bass excerpts

c. 1820–1880

This romantic bass selection contains 1 excerpt. Begin with Brahms: Symphony No. 2, I, opening: The low string figure that opens the symphony, the three-note motif everything else is built from. Quiet, exposed, and entirely about sound. The period label groups these works for discovery; it does not prescribe one tempo, articulation or sound for every composer.

For double bass, distinguish the written part from its sounding register, normally an octave lower. Isolate a string crossing or position change without dropping the underlying pulse, then check the length and release of notes against the ensemble role.

The recorded technique tags in this selection include symphony, audition, exposed, soft. Choose one relevant passage, read its specific practice notes below, and set one listening target before a complete run. Tags describe the library entries, not a required exam syllabus.

The romantic orchestra hands the cello section some of its most famous melodies, and with them the demands of sustained tone, wide vibrato, and shifting into tenor clef. Phrasing across long lines becomes as technical a problem as the notes themselves.

- [Brahms: Symphony No. 2, I, opening](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/bass/brahms-2-i-bass), The low string figure that opens the symphony, the three-note motif everything else is built from. Quiet, exposed, and entirely about sound. Advanced; Romantic; Bass clef. Standard audition excerpt.

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/bass/era/romantic