Double bass excerpt · Audition repertoire
Mozart, Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, K. 543
IV. Finale: Allegro
Fast classical running passages across the instrument. A standard test of clean shifting and light articulation at speed.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Double bass
- Composer
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Work
- Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, K. 543
- Movement
- IV. Finale: Allegro
- Era
- Classical (c. 1750–1820)
- Composed
- 1788
- Tempo
- Allegro
- Clef
- Bass clef
- Level
- Audition, professional standard
- 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
Light and short. Sustaining classical bass lines makes the orchestra sound heavy and is the commonest stylistic error.
Where it goes wrong
Shift accuracy determines rhythmic accuracy here. Work the position changes as their own exercise.
Style
Transparent, buoyant, and always subordinate to the upper strings.
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.