Niek de Groot www.niekdegroot.nl is a leading classical
double-bassist. In 2010 he found the
supreme instrument to give voice to his style, an Amati double bass made in
Cremona, 1680, the only remaining double bass from that era.
Following his formal studies Niek de Groot further developed
his skills at the Canadian Banff Centre for the Arts. In addition he gained
inspiration in attending master classes especially with cellists Frans
Helmerson, Lluìs Claret and Laurence Lesser and in close collaborations with
Leonard Bernstein, Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Mendelsohn and György
Sebök.
Until 2006 he held principal solo-bass positions in many
ensembles throughout Europe, including a ten year tenure as first solo-bass
with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Since then he has dedicated his career to chamber music and
solo-performances and plays the Amati to a growing worldwide audience. Working closely with modern composers such as
Kurtàg and Stockhausen, he has contributed to the development of new and
contemporary double-bass repertoire.
From 1996 Niek de Groot has been teaching as a senior
professor at the Folkwang University of Arts in Essen, Germany. He teaches
master classes regularly, with many of his students currently holding positions
in Europe's finest orchestras.
Now for Nimbus www.wyastone.co.uk/all-labels/nimbus/nimbus-alliance.html
he
has recorded a disc of sonatas by Sofia Gubaidulina, Paul Hindemith and Pēteris
Vasks coupled with his own arrangement of Brahms’ Sonata for piano and cello in
E minor, op.38.
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He is joined on this new release by pianist Catherine Klipfel, herself a member of
the award winning Morgenstern Trio www.morgensterntrio.com/index.php
performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Royal
Concertgebouw, Musikverein and Konzerthaus Vienna, Essen, Berlin and Cologne.
Niek de Groot’s Amati double bass brings a rich deep
mahogany tone as the Allegro non Troppo
of Johannes Brahms’ Sonata for piano and cello in E minor,
op.38 opens, rising to a lovely singing tone. Both de Groot and Catherine
Klipfel rise to some very fine moments of passion, nothing at all lost in this
fine transcription. There are some very fine deep resonances combining all of
Brahms’ passion and agility to moments of deep rich sonority. de Groot reveals
the upper register of his double bass to have a beautiful heart rending intensity.
This is no mere novelty but a truly passionate performance. de Groot and
Klipfel make a fine duo with terrific ensemble and moments of great passion,
terrific articulation.
The Allegretto quasi Menuetto
– Trio is remarkably light and agile with de Groot seemingly gliding over
any obstacles, effortlessly. Klipfel brings some fine fluent playing alongside lovely
double bass textures.
There is terrific
interplay between double bass and piano in the Allegro; both these artists bringing a real fire to this movement, a
stormy forward thrust, quite a tour de force as they hurtle to the coda.
This is a remarkable performance showing terrific technique
and musicianship.
The Russian composer,
Sofia Gubaidulina (b.1931) www.boosey.com/composer/Sofia+Gubaidulina
wrote her Sonata for double bass and
piano in 1975. She utilises all
of the rich lower register of the double bass in the slow opening that weaves a
mournful melody as the piano adds little dissonant chords. The double bass
brings some effective pizzicato effects, sliding the pitch upwards and
downwards as the piano gently picks up on this, both players working in
conjunction and opposite each other. The double bass brings some stunning
effects, de Groot displaying his terrific technique. Eventually the piano
brings a gentle longer theme to accompany the double bass’ gymnastics before
the bass continues alone. The piano returns with its longer breathed theme but
the double bass becomes more agitated with de Groot digging deep into the
strings. The piano returns with a quiet, meandering, gentle theme as little
taps are heard, heralding a return of the double bass with deep growling
phrases. The tapping is picked up by repeated piano notes before the music
fades to silence with just a series of quiet taps.
This is a remarkable work that receives an inspired
performance by both these artists.
Paul Hindemith’s
(1895-1963) www.hindemith.info/en/life-work/biography
Sonata for double bass and piano was
written during a holiday in Taos, New Mexico. The Allegretto moves off quickly with a lively theme for double bass
and piano, each bringing a freely tonal line, so typically Hindemith. These
players bring a very fine rhythmic lilt with some lovely little quieter moments
before skipping to the end. There is a terrific, agile Scherzo with some very fine fast piano phrases from Klipfel and a
lovely little coda before the Molto
adagio – Recitativo – Lied where the double bass brings a yearning, rich
melody, pointed up by piano phrases with de Groot displaying the rich melodic
textures of his instrument to the full. There are some very fine flowing passages
before a torrent of cascading phrases from the piano is reflected by the
double-bass with de Groot showing more terrific agility. After a gently
rhythmic section, a gentle slow passage arrives before the music picks up to
move to the buoyant coda.
This sonata is revealed as a richly rewarding work that is
well work hearing.
As a double bass player the Latvian composer, Pēteris Vasks (b.1946) www.schott-music.com/shop/persons/featured/peteris-vasks has an intimate knowledge of his
instrument. His Sonata for solo double bass was written in 1986 and is in four
movements. The Monologo opens with hushed
double-bass pizzicato phrases low in the register which run quickly upwards
before the bow adds a rich, powerful line between pizzicato phrases. Soon the
bowed double-bass brings a fuller melody around which pizzicato runs still
occur, becoming increasingly passionate before falling back, with ruminating
pizzicato phrases and leading into the Fantasia.
The double-bass brings some strange little shifting phrases, varying in
texture with deep resonating pizzicato phrases. Slowly the music tries to
develop into a longer rich melody but the unusual effects continue, becoming
more dynamic and dramatic at times.
The Toccata brings
some dramatically bowed phrases played with incredible accuracy, panache and
assurance. This is a brilliantly aggressive, dynamic toccata in which de Groot
extracts some wonderful timbres and textures from his instrument. The music
eventually rises to a moment of anguish high in the register as the coda
arrives. The Melodia brings a fine
melody that one feels has been trying to emerge throughout this work, a melody
that is anguished and passionate. It rises up yet soon falls, becoming rather solemn
before de Groot vocalises against a deep instrumental line that brings about
the coda. This is a terrific movement to end a fine work.
Niek de Groot and Catherine Klipfel give winning
performances of all of these works, de Groot bringing an especially musical
tone to every register of his lovely instrument.
The excellent recording handles the lower textures of the
double bass extremely well and there are excellent booklet notes from de Groot.
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