The Importance of Franz Schubert and D821 Arpeggione Sonata for the Doublebass Repertoire

Abstract

Franz Schubert, one of the most productive composers in the history of music, wrote over a thousand works that reflect his musical ideas and creative superiority. D821 Arpeggione Sonata, written in 1824, reveals the composer's genius in the field of instrument timbre and chamber music, in the context of understanding Schubert's musical identity. The Arpeggione instrument was developed in 1822 by Vienna's leading guitar maker Johann Georg Staufer, but it did not receive the attention Staufer expected in Vienna, except for a group of curious musicians interested in the instrument. The work, like many other works of the composer, appeared only 47 years after his death and was published as an edition in 1871. This first edition by the publisher Gotthard was printed with the words 'For Arpeggione (or cello) and Pianoforte'. The piece attracted the attention of double bass performers in the mid-20th century, and various adaptations were made to bring it into the repertoire. After the first adaptation by Stuart Sankey was published in 1963, the work was recorded for the first time with double bass by Norbert Duka in 1984. The authentic tones of the Arpeggione and Pianoforte instruments for which the work was originally written were only recorded in 2012 by Nicholas Deletaille and Allain Roudier.

D821 Arpeggione Sonata, written by Schubert when he was at his most productive and reached musical maturity, is frequently performed by double bass performers today and is included in double bass training and education programs. This research, which includes information about the composer's musical life, the authentic arpeggione instrument and the double bass adaptations and editions of the work; is intended to contribute to interpreters who will perform the work or teach it in educational institutions.

The adaptations and editions of the work made for double bass were selected by scanning the literature and evaluated within the scope of musical and technical study. As a result of the evaluationi the historical development of the doublebass technique and the differences in musical approaches between different double bass schools were observed. The technical and musical contents of the adaptation works were also examined by comparing them with the composer's manuscript.