ISB CONVENTION 2007 - Oklahoma

Apro questo Topic nella speranza che qualcuno mi sappia dire come sono andate le cose alla ISB Convention di quest' anno, sotto tutti i profili.

Penso che il nostro amico e collega maestro Catalin Rotaru ci potrà dire qualcosa su questo incredibile appuntamento dei contrabbassisti a livello internazionale. 
Spero tanto che anche il maestro Sciascia, se dovesse leggere questo mio Topic, abbia voglia di raccontarci la sua ennesima esperienza in questa ormai per lui usuale Convention alla quale adesso viene invitato, anche perchè il maestro Rotaru mi ha detto che si sono incontrati.

Naturalmente chiunque abbia qualsiasi notizia o curiosità su questo appuntamento è il benvenuto.

Ringraziando anticipatamente.

Vito

Ciao cari amici,
indeed, just like Stefano said, the ISB Convention is an event that all bass players should try to attend. It is extremely intresting and educational and you can find there everything, from solo to orchestra passages, to jazz or contemporary repertoire. Also, you can attend solo recitals, master classes in solo repertoire, orchestra excerpts or jazz, and many other demonstrations or lectures on many subjects and topics. And of course, at the beginning of the convention you can listen to any of the solo, orchestra, younger divisions or jazz competitions. Sometimes I just think there is too much going on as you have 2 or 3 events taking place at the same time. This year I had the honor to be the president of the solo division of the competition (they also asked me to serve on the board of directors of the ISB)and I want to tell you, it was very intense and it seems like the level of playing gets better everytime. The first prize winner is from Latvia (Letonia), we split the second prize between a Korean guy who studies with Klaus Trumpf and an American guy and decided not to award the 3rd prize. I also played a recital on Friday right before Stefano Sciascia so that way I was able to go and listen to his recital; as always, he played with beautiful sound, very confident and expressiv - a real treat. In the end, I want to say again that for any bass player, from amateur to professional this convention is a true blessing because it has so much to offer at all levels so it will be a well spent week every 2 years. Best wishes and ciao a tutti!
Catalin

Stefano, thank you for your kind words! They mean a lot coming from an artist of your caliber! At future ISB board meetings I will try to make a case regarding the scheduling of so many events at the same time but I know it will be hard to change this. Also, on a different note, the next ISB Convention will take place at Penn State University in Pennsylvania so it will be just a little closer for people coming from Europe. Ciao e a presto!
Catalin

Ciao Danilo,
the ISB Convention takes place only once every 2 years and everytime it is hosted by a different university. So you should look into the next location which will be Penn State University in Pennsylvania. Unfortunatelly, I don't know much about that particular place but I'm sure you'll have plenty of time (almost 2 years) to get more information. I've seen many bassists bringing their families to the convention city so you won't be alone in that situation. A presto,
Catalin

Ciao tutti,
I will answer the question from my prospective because like you said, it's a matter of personal preference and psychological aproach. And 30 minutes before the recital there is not much you can do except keep warming up; in fact, I start the warm up much earlier but 30 minutes is the minimum I need to feel confident and secure on stage. Playing scales is always the most important part of my warm up and then I run slowly all the difficult passages. I hope this answers your question Vito. 
Catalin

OT

CATALIN ROTARU on DOUBLE BASSIST

Finally, dear Catalin, your Cd has finished in Robin Stowel' hands. Don't worry! In my opinion he has no umderstood nothing about your Ciaccona. BTW it's my own impression. Generally a good comment; personally about something I'm not so agreed, just because I've listened to your CD at least 20 times since I received the master. Probably the great critic Robin Stowel has listened to it one and half.

Maestro Stefano Sciascia knows something. But a critic must do his work ... or not ??  

Ciao and good luck for this marvellous work.

Vito

catalin wrote on 27.06.2007 at 16:48:59:


OT
Ah, now it's enough clear and evident ! My God, dear Catalin!

Fortunally, people in the world knows that Double Bassist's reviews are not the "more objective". It's not the first time. Let's no talk about reviews concerning Italian double bass players! 

BTW, I'm sure
So, at the end, I think your work will have a great success ... DB apart!

My best regards

Ciao

Vito 

Stefano_Sciascia wrote on 29.06.2007 at 10:06:47:




CATALIN ROTARU review on BASS*IC CELLO NOTES

By Rob Nairn[size=14][/size] BASS WORLD 

BASS*IC CELLO NOTES
Catalin Rotaru, double bass

Baruch Meir, piano

Thomas Landschoot, cello

Andrew Campbell, piano

Summit Records DCD 474

www.summitrecords.com

 

The title of this recording comes from the two cello transcriptions (the Brahms E Minor and Rachmaninoff Op. 19 Sonatas), which bookend this dynamic and exciting release. Although the Brahms and Rachmaninoff have both been recorded before on the bass, these are certainly the most vibrant and passionate performances I have yet heard.

Catalin Rotaru is professor of double bass at Arizona State University and has already had an impressive career both in the U.S. and his native Romania. He is a performer at home in a wide variety of musical styles and clearly very comfortable in the romantic tradition.

 

The Brahms Sonata is a transcription by Joseph Prunner and stays very faithful to the original version. From the very opening Rotaru displays a great affinity for Brahms – the constant rubato, highly expressive vibrato and considered phrasing. This is rather reminiscent of Steven Isserlis’ first recording with a real luminescence of tone and alternate tenderness and fury as the work requires. One of the first works from Brahms in Vienna and lacking a slow movement (Brahms wrote one but discarded it) this takes much thought, restraint and subtlety and this is all in evidence in this recording. This is also highly spirited music making; Rotaru and pianist Baruch Meir make an intelligent partnership, the Bach-inspired Fugal subject of the Final Allegro is lively, exciting and admirably paced.

 

Rotaru’s arrangement of the Bach Chaconne from the D minor Partita as a duo for cello and bass is engaging and very effective. Unfortunately after the richness of the opening the cello sometimes comes off sounding rather distant and harsh in the recording, particularly in the forte passages, which does not help to create a very blended sound. Nonetheless this is an excellent transcription and very worthy of frequent listening.

 

The performance the Rachmaninoff’s Op. 19 Sonata, written by the 28-year old composer in 1901 is the real highlight of this disc. The composer himself said of the work “It is not for cello with piano accompaniment but for two instruments in equal balance: and here Rotaru and pianist Andrew Campbell achieve that admirably, with the help of a really outstandingly clear and rich recording. The opening of the first movement portrays all of its pastoral leanings with great poise; the following whirlwind of changing moods pits the dark melodic bass line against the highly decorative and digressive piano. The opening of the Andante is simply some of the most beautiful bass playing I have heard in some time. Rotaru has a great ability to shape long emotive phrases with ease and great understanding. The technical ease of both performers makes for obvious comparisons with many cello recordings on much higher profile labels. This is an outstanding release and hopefully the first of many from this enormously talented musician.

 
More information:
Catalin Rotaru

Associate Professor of Double Bass

School of Music 
Arizona State University 
P.O. Box 870405
Tempe, AZ 85287-0405 

catalin.rotaru@asu.edu

480-965-7488

http://music.asu.edu/faculty/selectOne.php?ID=79&;

CATALIN ROTARU on MP3 !!!

http://music.asu.edu/faculty/rotaru.htm

Ho pensato di inserire questo sito dove il nostro maestro Catalin esegue qualcosa dal suo Cd Bass*ic Cello Notes di cui tanto abbiamo parlato, e della diversità di opinioni fra il commento di Double Bassist e quello di Bass World (che abbiamo avuto in anteprima).

Mi sembrava giusto riportare qualcosa di "suonato" altrimenti molti classici che magari non hanno ascoltato il Cd non possono farsi una propria idea del modo di suonare del maestro Rotaru.

Mi sembra scontato dire che la qualità sonora del Cd è notevolmente migliore, anzi si tratta di un Cd che sotto il profilo audio è veramente fatto bene, cosa non sempre evidente per i Cd che riguardano il contrabbasso solista.

Provo a riassumere in Inglese per Catalin ... mamma mia 
I've thought to insert this Link where Catalin Rotaru plays something on Mp3 directly from his last Cd "Bass*ic Cello Notes" (and something more). Just because we have talked about the totally different opinions about this Cd between Double Bassist and Bass World.

So I think in this way a lot of classical double bass players can have their own opinion about Catalin Rotaru's way of playing. Naturally, tracks on Cd are much better than the ones you can listen from the linked site. About this argument, I have to tell you that Bass*ic Cello Notes is well done under a recording point of view. 

Mah ... speriamo che si capisca qualcosa con questo mio Inglese azzoppato!

Saluti

VitC

CATALIN ROTARU "BASS*IC CELLO NOTES" review on Double Bassist (THE OPPOSITE WRITTEN by BASS WORLD)