Who was Koussevitzky and is he a GHOST now?!?

[@ConcertBandContraBass]

I had a chance to play the Karr/Koussevitzky Bass in 2021 during my Undergrad in music education at UCO in Edmond, Oklahoma. Back then I was beginning to become frustrated with stuff in my own Bass playing that normally just takes time and practice to fix. I played on the Koussevitzky Bass during a masterclass and I just suddenly had this insane sense of calmness, tranquility and peace that I wasn’t used to at the time. I couldn’t put it down at all until I felt like I was hogging it from my colleagues without meaning to. These days I find it extremely easy for me to be calm while performing but nothing has quite yet reached the level of those 5 minutes yet. I say this next part with humor, but maybe I was possessed by Koussevitzky himself! Haha!

[@Lucky_AL]

The second movement of his concerto is one of the most beautiful slow solo i strument concert movements i know. I love playing it on the cello😍🥰🥰

[@doublebasshq]

That’s so cool that you play it on the cello!

[@Lucky_AL]

@@doublebasshq transcribed it for that, now on IMSLP. Such a lovely piece! 😍

[@josephconyers440]

Jason, this is an AMAZING account. Amazing. AMAZING. Thank you!!

[@doublebasshq]

Thanks, Joe! I really appreciate it. Trying to get better at making “explainer” videos like this. Lots of challenges but also really fun to make! 😃

[@josephconyers7854]

This was so good, I had to like it with both of my accounts!! 😉 Thank you for all of your amazing research and incredible stories. It's funny: I've heard many of these stories, and some of the stories I hadn't heard actually made story fragments I had heard make sense. What a fantastic resource! Thank you. 🙏🏾

[@doublebasshq]

I really appreciate it, Joe! Working on ideas for the next installment now... 😁

[@I.O.M.]

Karr playing this was the first solo classical bass piece I heard. Brings back memories for sure.

[@doublebasshq]

Doesn’t it? I love how Bernstein introduces Gary. “Have you ever head a double bass recital? I don’t think so!” What a moment!

[@johns4858]

Came for the bass content, stayed for the ghost content

[@doublebasshq]

Ha! That was fun to work on. Now I know how to make people go behind me in Premiere Pro! 😊

[@northspokaneorthodoxchurch653]

This is so great.

[@doublebasshq]

Thanks!

[@amitabhgoswami9755]

Awesome video Jason, perhaps this along with the Dragonetti one the start of a series on great bassists? It would be really cool to see that!

[@doublebasshq]

I think that's the plan--you're reading my mind!

[@ViktorPetrushenko]

Thanks for this content 👍

[@doublebasshq]

You bet!

[@faustoborem]

Bravo, Jason! Very very very well done. Incredible script, data, editing and your uplifting clear narration as always. So much of our world in a single fun package. You just inspired my in a piece I am writing for solo bass and voice choir here in Brazil for the 2021 ISB Convention. Also, If you wanna a story on Lino José Nunes (1789-1847), an Afro-Brazilian who wrote the second double bass method in the history of the dou bass, drop me a line. There so much on this to be uncovered. Bass cheers!

[@doublebasshq]

Fausto! Yes, let’s chat about Lino José Nunes-that would be great! I would love to learn about his work. 😊❤️

[@kuru9157]

love the long video! if you find more topics that have a deep and rich history make sure to do a deep dive on them!

[@lawrencehall3266]

Me and Nick both study with Andy Anderson he’s an amazing teacher

[@BAAJ1998]

Please talk about Rinat Ibragimov!!!

[@matthewv789]

Leland Sklar singled out Rinat Ibragimov as his favorite bass player. Rinat was a super nice guy too.

[@christianhales176]

Jason, I'd be interested in seeing an episode about Gary as a solo player. We don't have many bassists who've made careers out of soloing and it'd be nice to hear more about it! Is it to irreverent to profile a living person?....

[@doublebasshq]

You’re reading my mind! I’m actually going through his excellent book “Life on the G String” and brainstorming ideas about this. 😀

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

He was a fantastic Bassist

[@doublebasshq]

For sure!

[@matthewv789]

Koussevitzky also commissioned Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra.

[@christianhales176]

Stupid Bass History FTW!!!! This is awesome!

[@glenschneider8175]

Very cool video Jason! However great a bassist or conductor he was, I think he was an even more talented socialite! Divorcing his first wife and marrying into an absurdly wealthy family was key to his success. Her money payed for the student orchestras he used to learn to conduct, and to hire the professionals he used for his first concerts. My teachers all credited his success as a conductor to her! There were more recordings from that same session as well including Chanson Triste, Valse Miniature and the Eccles. Also worth emphasizing that he was the conductor who brought the BSO to Tanglewood and the shed is named after him. Hence the huge portrait.

[@doublebasshq]

Interesting, Glen-I didn’t know that about his first wife!

[@planiglukh]

How about “Are You Hip To ....?

[@doublebasshq]

Yeah, that might be better!

[@planiglukh]

Thanks this was fun stuff.

[@gregorydonohoe5012]

3 minutes in, and I'm exhausted. Can you slow down and breathe, and leave some space between sentences so we can digest their meaning?

[@josefstalin1368]

i think ur just old