Double bass excerpt · Audition repertoire
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
I. Allegro con brio
The four-note motif, played in unison across the low strings. Rhythmic clarity is the entire test.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Double bass
- Composer
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Work
- Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
- Movement
- I. Allegro con brio
- Era
- Classical (c. 1750–1820)
- Composed
- 1808
- Tempo
- Allegro con brio
- Clef
- Bass clef
- Level
- Intermediate, university level
- Audition list
- Yes, standard excerpt
How to practise it
The bow style, the trouble spots, and the stylistic decisions that come up most often on this excerpt.
Bowing
Short, even, and unaccented across the three pickups. No crescendo into the long note.
Where it goes wrong
The fermata must be held with the conductor, not anticipated, the commonest ensemble failure in the excerpt.
Style
Fierce rather than fast. Protecting the rhythm is what the passage is for.
Tags
Work on the technique underneath
Arco's bass curriculum builds the bow strokes, positions, and clef reading this excerpt assumes, with recorded bass playback throughout.