Double bass excerpt · Audition repertoire
Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40
Fast, wide-ranging low string writing that crosses the whole instrument. One of the hardest excerpts on the standard list.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Double bass
- Composer
- Richard Strauss
- Work
- Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40
- Era
- Late-Romantic (c. 1880–1910)
- Composed
- 1898
- 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
Strauss writes it heroically; the sound must stay full even in the fastest passagework.
Where it goes wrong
The range covered forces constant position changes, including into thumb position. Map the shifts before working on tempo.
Clarity at speed on the bass depends on the left hand arriving early. Practise the left hand silently, without the bow.
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.