Bass*ic Cello Notes (2007)

This cleverly titled album (Bass*ic Cello Notes) featuring University of Arizona double bass professor Catalin Rotaru showcases his skills as both performer and transcriber. The first work on the program (not transcribed by Rotaru) is Brahms' First Cello Sonata, a work performed frequently and successfully by bassists. Rotaru's playing here is quite pleasing; his tone in the lower registers is dark without being muddy and higher notes are clear without being nasal. Next up is Rotaru's transcription of the Bach Chaconne from ... Read More

This cleverly titled album (Bass*ic Cello Notes) featuring University of Arizona double bass professor Catalin Rotaru showcases his skills as both performer and transcriber. The first work on the program (not transcribed by Rotaru) is Brahms' First Cello Sonata, a work performed frequently and successfully by bassists. Rotaru's playing here is quite pleasing; his tone in the lower registers is dark without being muddy and higher notes are clear without being nasal. Next up is Rotaru's transcription of the Bach Chaconne from the D minor violin Partita, heard here for bass and cello. There have been all sorts of transcriptions made of this masterwork -- for piano, two cellos, two violins, and so on. What most of them prove is that in some instances, it's more difficult to achieve on two instruments the sound that violinists do when performing this piece alone. Rotaru's attempt is really quite good; the depth of the bass coupled with the range of the cello yields a dark, rich sonority to the piece. There... Read Less