Latin American Music in Modern Double Bass
Performance 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Dante Tramontin de Paula
Copresented by Dante Tramontin de Paula
Exhibition Number 406
Abstract
This performance explores the technical and interpretative demands of Andrés Martin’s Double Bass Concerto No. 1 (2012), highlighting both the technical challenges and the interpretative approaches required to bring the work to life. This piece exceptionally embodies the developments made on the double bass in the 20th century, expanding the horizons of what is considered standard technique and raising the technical demands on the performer. Despite being relatively recent, it has already become part of the audition and competition repertoire in prestigious settings. An Argentine composer, Martin—much like Astor Piazzolla (1921-92)—draws on the musicality of tango to craft both the melodies and the specific technical characteristics of the double bass in this style. The result is an energetic, intense sound that challenges the performer to capture its boldness. Extended pizzicato passages and the use of harmonics in pizzicato are highly unconventional, presenting significant technical challenges for the performer. The phrases have irregular meter and make extensive use of polyrhythms between the soloist and the accompaniment, giving even recurring motifs a fresh and unpredictable quality. In my performance, I aim to express the contrasts and tonal colors of the composition, prompting a fresh exploration of the double bass and the subtlety often not required in more traditional repertoire.
Importance
By presenting a piece inspired by tango on an instrument not conventionally used as a soloist, this performance serves as a way to promote and spark interest in Latin American musical influences, especially as it comes from a living and active composer. Aesthetically, the piece creates a captivating atmosphere through its rhythmic complexity and expressive phrasing, sparking curiosity about the untapped potential of the double bass as a solo instrument. This performance offers a glimpse into the rich potential of Latin American influences in concert music, inspiring listeners to explore and engage more deeply with modern double bass repertoire.