Nižje ne gre

Until the twentieth century, European musical language generally relied on agile instruments for leading voices and elevated melodic lines. The double bass, whose strengths lie elsewhere, therefore rarely appeared as a solo instrument. The first sonatas and concertos for double bass or violone were written by Johann Matthias Sperger, Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf and Johann Baptist Vanhal, all double bassists themselves. Later, the Italian public was captivated by conductor and virtuoso Giovanni Bottesini, still regarded as the most important Romantic composer for double bass.

Composers still mostly write on commission or with a specific first performer in mind, and that is true of this album. Bassouvenir and Tango for one were written for soloist and university professor Zoran Marković. Svašta was first performed by Iztok Hrastnik. Two works were commissioned by Miha: Matija Krečič wrote for his 2015 tour, while Iztok Kocen wrote a solo double-bass work in November 2024 specifically for this album.

In short, this is not a double bassist’s album; it is an album of good music.