Johann Sperger Double Bass Concertos Worthy of Haydn

Johann Matthais Sperger was a countrabass virtuoso, and a contemporary of Haydn. And like many virtuosi of the day, he composed concertos for himself to perform.

But unlike most virtuosi, Sperger was quite comfortable composing other forms of music. His catalog includes cantatas, sonatas, 44 symphonies, and 18 concertos.

This CPO's second release of Sperger's music. Like the first, it includes a mixture of symphonies and double bass concertos. 

His Symphony No. 15 in A major is a succinct masterpiece. It lands stylistically between Haydn and Mozart. It has Mozart's lightness. And it has the inherent drama of Haydn's Sturm und Drang works (albeit not too stormy).

Sperger knew his instrument well. In the 1700s, the double bass in orchestras just reinforced the cello line. It seldom appeared in chamber ensembles, and almost never as a solo instrument. Sperger shows the capabilities of this instrument and makes it sing.

Sperger's music requires a solid set of skills. The melodies must be played with agility. There are double stops and other bowing effects. A good deal of the time the bassist is playing in the upper register. Maintaining intonation there is especially difficult.

But it's worth it. These aren't novelty pieces. They're well-crafted works that are enjoyable to listen to.  

Contrabassist Roman Patkolo is up to the challenges. His intonation is solid, and he plays with a clean, sonorous tone. My only quibble is with the recording itself. Sometimes his instrument isn't as prominent in the mix as I'd like it to be. 

If you're looking for a slightly different take on Classical Era music, give this disc a listen. Johann Matthias Sperger is a composer worth rediscovering.   

Johann Matthias Sperger
Double Bass Concertos Nos. 1 & 8; Sinfonia No. 15
Roman Patkolo, contrabass Sudwestdeutsches Kammerorchster Pforzheim; Douglas Bostock, conductor
CPO 555 404-2