Canto Interno (The Song Within)

We are not so spoiled with the double bass as a purely solo instrument, which has everything to do with its sound character and maneuverability. Even the greatest virtuoso, and that applies just as much to Rick Stotijn (on Channel Classics) for example, as to Luis Cabrera. 

On this new album, Cabrera is faced with enormous obstacles in compositions in which the virtuoso aspect plays a dominant but also lyrical role. The latter is less obvious, but also about melodiousness, the cantabile properties of the double bass, the possibilities are certainly not for boasting.

A composer who writes specifically for the double bass obviously knows the ropes in this area. In most cases he played the instrument himself, as a traveling virtuoso or otherwise as an orchestra member. The first was for Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889), the second for Serge Koussevitzky (1874-1951), who has become better known as chief conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Both guarantee true compositional masterpieces (in the best sense of the word), as shown by Bottesini's Introduzione e Variazioni sul 'Carnevale di Venezia' and the Grand Duo Concertante (originally written for two double basses 'dueling' with each other), but Koussevitzky's four miniatures also belong to the standard repertoire of the double bass player (they also sometimes want to be used in auditions).

For Schumann's three Fantasiestücke the musical cards are quite different. They were originally conceived for (the lilting!) clarinet and piano, with the composer adding that they could also be performed on viola or cello. The lilting character of the opening movement ('Zart und mit Ausdruck') leaves no room for misunderstanding, but the following two spicy, sparkling movements ('Lebhaft, leicht' and 'Rasch und mit Feuer') are also alternative instruments excellently suited. For the double bass, however, this is less obvious, although it must be said that in the hands of a true virtuoso like Luis Cabrera in this case there is also a lot to enjoy. Let me put it this way: I'm quite ambivalent about it.

The certainly fascinating program is concluded with the four-part Violin Sonata by César Franck, which needs no further introduction: it is one of the standard works in this field, performed just as brilliantly as the other pieces. The French esprit is just as characteristic as the expressive sophistication, in which the two partners give each other all the space they need to make the most of the fine-grained sound palette.