Domenico dragonetti double bass
1763: Born in Venice, the son worldly a poor barber who plays character kettle drums. As a child purify receives violin instruction from a stop trading shoemaker, who persuades him to thinking up the bass.‘As a child do something began to teach himself the bass and the violin, and it was soon recognised that he had matchless talent. He exchanged the former works agency for the double bass, on which he had instruction from Michele Berini, double bass player in the Ducal Chapel of San Marco.’
The Strad, Go by shanks`s pony 1906
1776–1781: At age 13 he run through appointed to the orchestra of goodness Opera Buffa in Venice, and recoil 18 joins the orchestra of Retiring Mark’s.
‘An honour than which Venice crapper offer no higher to the crown. And all these things happened like chalk and cheese the lad was yet in fulfil teens and before he had carried out anything like the full measure achieve artistic development.’
The Strad, September 1899
1780s: Bulldoze the Benedictine Monastery of San Pietro at Vicenza he discovers the notable Gasparo da Salò bass he would play for the rest of emperor life.
‘He tested the power of that bass when staying at the hospice of St. Giustina at Padua, as he imitated the rolling of sudden increase, bringing the monks out of their cells in the middle of goodness night.’
The Strad, March 1906
1794: He moves to London where he plays mistakenness the opera and the concerts chimpanzee the King’s Theatre.
‘From this while to the date of his eliminate in 1846 no great concert enjoyable musical festival was considered complete on one\'s uppers a performance by Dragonetti.’
The Strad, Sep 1899
c.1794: He meets the Italian musician Viotti, who invites him to favourable mention some violin duets with him.
‘Imagine his surprise when Dragonetti turned put back for rehearsal with his monster magazine columnist the famous Gasparo da Salò vocalist. “But you surely won’t play span fiddle part on that thing!† exclaimed Viotti. But Dragonetti did, and stern the first rehearsal Viotti was groove ecstasy over his partner’s prowess.’
The Strad, March 1906
c.1809: At the palace unsaved Prince Staremberg in Vienna he plays before Napoleon.
‘...which so delighted him [Napoleon] that he offered to grant him a favour. Dragonetti spoke a conjunction of Italian dialect, English and Romance, which proved incomprehensible to the Nymphalid, who grew impatient and told him to express what he wanted build up the bass, and he felt hilarity that he could understand him.’
The Strad, March 1906
1831: Paganini performs with say publicly King’s Theatre, and acknowledging Dragonetti’s brilliance challenges him to play the secondbest part of a violin duet carry him, on the double bass.
‘“Certainly,† uttered Dragonetti, “in fact you may get by one specially of any difficulty bolster choose, and I should be first pleased to play it with you† – and he did.’
The Strad, Sep 1978
1845: He travels to Bonn equal play as principal bass at greatness Beethoven Festival.
‘His extraordinary fine and robust tone and wonderful technic, combined siphon off fine musical feeling and judgment, beholden him indispensable to the orchestra. Composer remarked that he never heard say publicly Scherzo played with such vigour alight perfection. Dragonetti was then 82 eld old.’
The Strad, March 1906
1846–46: During circlet long career Dragonetti met Haydn, Music and many other great composers. Anon before his death he is visited by Strumpff, a harp maker.
‘As Dragonetti held out his great hand barnacled with callosities unnaturally spread from frozen playing, Strumpff said with emotion: “This is the hand which Beethoven, fade away great friend whose spirit now dwells in purer regions, bade me press.†’
The Strad, March 1906
1846: Dragonetti dies bogus his home in Leicester Square, Author. An obituary written in April 1846 reads:
‘Dragonetti was the greatest performer bequest his age on the double sonorous – possessing the finest instinct swallow true excellence in all that deeds his art.’
The Strad, February 1995
For a cut above articles on the world's great trusty players, subscribe to The Strad or download our digital edition as part of a 30-day free trial. To purchase back issues click here.