Composed in 1915 for coloratura soprano Antonina Nezhdanova, Rachmaninoff’s wordless “Vocalise”, with its flowing, wistful theme, quickly became a worldwide hit. Numerous arrangements honour this unique work. The arrangement for double bass and piano stands out, not only owing to its low register: Serge Koussevitzky, double bass virtuoso and Rachmaninoff’s close friend, managed to successfully bring his arrangement, made in 1915 with the composer’s consent, to the stage even before the premiere of the original work.
Our practice-oriented edition is based on a manuscript copy carefully revised by Koussevitzky and offers, in addition to the unmarked solo part, a further version, expertly annotated by Tobias Glöckler in his tried-and-tested manner. Alongside fingerings, it also includes additional performance markings. The best premise for all low string players who wish to build upon Koussevitzky’s success!