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Viennese Bass Method Lesson 8. Thumb Position: Double Stops www.viennesetuning.com The thumb position double and triple stops are often configured in a formulaic pattern, so once the basic fingerings are learned these patterns can be applied to almost any composition that features them. In that respect they are actually easier to decipher and execute than the double stops on the modern bass. Here we will introduce this material gradually and also demonstrate its real application on period examples. It is also important to note that the double stops are used on all four strings and it may be of help if the fingerboard is set to allow easy response on the lower two strings in the thumb position. The famous Mozart's aria "Per Questa Bella Mano" is a prime example of such a double stop use and we will cover its opening measures here too. In regard to the notation practice, you will notice that all strings and fingerings are indicated in "bottom to top" hierarchy, sometimes necessitating many markings that may appear overwhelming. However the performing reality is far simpler than what the volume of markings would suggest. Since most of the material presented here is intended solely for the thumb position, there is hardly any shifting and that convenience should simplify the matter greatly.
Exercise 52. D major Double Stops, Thumb Position 1
2
I II I I I II II
1
2
1
2
II
I
II
I
II III
2 1
1
2
I I I I I II I I I
1 2
II III
II
2 1
I II
II
3
I I I I I I II I I
1 2
II III
I
1
II
3
I
1
I II 1 3
I
II
1
2
1
I II
I I I II
II
II III
II
II III
II I I I
3
Copyright © 2009 by Igor Pecevski
I II
II III
II I
1 2
1 3
IV III IV III III IV
II III
I II
2
I
Exercise 53. D major Double Stops and Arpeggios, Thumb Position
I I I II I I I II I I I I I I
I
3
3
II I
I II
1 2
1 2 1
1 2 1
III II I II III II I II
2 1 2
2 1
2 1
I II
III II I II III II I II 1 2
2 1 2
IV III II III IV III II III
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1 2
1
1 2
2
II III
I II
II III
I II
II III
2
2
III IV
I II
II III
Exercise 54. D major Double Stops, Thumb Position "Polka" 3
2 1
1 2
I II 1 2
1 2
III IV
III II I IV III II 2 1
1 2
1 2
1 3
II III
II III 2 1
2 1
2 1
I II 3 3
2 1
3
1 2
1 2
II III
1 2
2 1
2 1
I II
I II
2 1
1 2
3
2
1 2
I II
I II
1 2
II III 3
II III 3
2 1
3
2 1
I III II IV 3 3
2 1
III II I IV III II 1 3
1 3
II III
1 2
2
III II III IV III IV
1 3
1 2
1 3
III IV
II III
1 2
1 2
II III 1 2
2
2
III II IV III 1 3
1 3
1 3
II III III IV
I II
3
46
Exercise 55. D major Double Stops, Thumb Position "Barcarola" 3 1 2
1 2
1 2
II I III II
I II
1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3
II III
1 2
1 1 1 2 2 2
II III
I II
III IV 1 2
II III
III IV
I II
2 2 2 2
I II
I II
3
3 3 1 1 1 2
2 2 2 1 1 1
1 2
II III
2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2
II III
1 2
1 2
II I III II
1 2
III IV
2 2 2 2
I II
II III
1 2
II III
3 1 2
1 2
I II
II I III II
I II III
Exercise 56. Roslaub, Concerto, 1st Movement 3 3
2
2
2
I II III 1 2
II
1 2
2 1
II III
2 1
I
3
1 2
2 1
III IV
II III
I II
1
II III
III
2
III IV
1 2
I II 3
2
II III
2 1
1
2 1
2 1
II III 2 1
I II
2 1
2 1
2 1
3
2 1
2 1
2
II III
III IV
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Exercise 57. Mozart, Concert Aria, "Per Questa Bella Mano", KV 612 Mozart's Aria "Per Questa Bella Mano" is in all likelihood the most famous solo piece from the Viennese repertoire. It features an extraordinary use of the thumb position double stops in combination with open strings from the onset and has been edited many times already. However, this opening figuration has remained a hurdle for all editors of modern bass editions ever since the piece has been rightfully ascribed to double bass in our time. Even in the Viennese tuning the opening figuration can actually be performed with at least three different fingerings, and those are presented here in the versions 57 "a","b" and "c". The "c" version is likely the closest to the original fingering as it requires no shifts at all, yet playable only on the instruments that can offer easy response of the 3rd and 4th string in thumb position. If such a setup is not available, the "a" and "b" variants will be easier to execute.
Exercise 57. a 2 222 4 444
1 2
2 4
Exercise 57. b
1 2
3
1 42
1 111 2 222
2 1
3
1 2
1 2
1 2
3
3
3
III
II
II III
IV II III
III II III
Exercise 57. c 1 111 3 333
1 2
1 3
IV II III
IV III II
II III
simile
1 2
1 2
1 2
3 1 3 3
IV
III
III IV
IV III II III II IV III III
1 111 3 333
IV II III 1 2
1 3
IV III II
II III
II III III
II I I IV III II III II 1 3
1 2
3 1 3 3
IV
III
3
III IV
IV III II III II IV III III 1 1 2 2
4 1 2
III III II III II I I II
IV II III
III II I III I II III II III III II II III III IV IV 1 1 2 2
4 1 2
II II III III IV
III II III II I I II
1
II II III III IV
III
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Exercise 58. Sperger, Concerto No. 18, 2nd Movement, excerpt This exercise presents a complex interchange between the double stops and string figurations that is very characteristic of Sperger's writing. Although the presented fingerings favor the position pattern, the figurations in the "fourth" bar can also be executed on the top A string. You are welcome to try both options and along explore any alternative fingerings that you can discover yourself. 3
2 1
2 1
1 2
II I II
1 2
1 2
II III
1 4
2 4 4 4 2 4 1
II I
II 3
E
2 1 1
3 3 3 1
1
I
III
1
2 4 2 4 2
4
1 2
1
4
II I
2 1
1 2
II I III II
B
1 1
1
II III II I
II
1
I
1
II III II III II III
4 2 4 1 1
2 1
1 4 1 1 2 1 2
2
1 2
1 2
II III 2
3 2
3 2
I
I
II
1
II III
Exercise 59. Double Stops in Thirds This exercise is designed to demonstrate the variety of shifting and fingering patterns that can be applied to Sperger Cadenzas within the Dittersdorf 2nd Concerto. Although it would appear that the consecutive thirds should ascend in scale-like manner on the top two strings, it is more likely that the position patterns with fewer shifts were used.
1 2
II III 3
I II
1 1
2 1
I II 2 1
2 1
4 2
1 1
2 4
II III
2 1
3 2
2 1
I II
1 2
1 1
2 4
II III
I II
II III
1 1
2 1
1 2
I II
II III
3
3
3
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Exercise 60. Roslaub, Concerto, 3rd Movement We follow here with the already established pattern of presenting the original unmarked music to test the skills acquired during the lesson. The Roslaub excerpt is a school example of the thumb position double stops use and you should not find much difficulty in deciphering the fingerings here.
Exercise 61. Hoffmeister, Solo Quartet no. 2, 4th Movement, Cadenza The Hoffmeister cadenza is a more complex example with the scale passages in lower positions and the double stops that veer in the regions bellow the thumb position too. In addition, this excerpt presents a unique technical challenge at one place, where it is not a clear what the actual intentions of the performer were (!). Once you locate this place, you are welcome to exercise your ingenuity and try to solve this enigma. Should you have aspirations to read the original literature from the manuscript copies, this will be a good exercise in dealing with notation idiosyncrasies that are frequent in period writing.
