Giovanni Bottesini’s musical career was undoubtedly shaped as much by opera as it was by the double bass — he wrote more than ten operas himself, and conducted many more. Indeed, many of his finest musical works combine these two passions, coming in the form of Bottesini’s many fantasies and variations on opera themes. His Fantasy on Vincenzo Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda is a popular favourite of these works, and quotes multiple numbers from the opera, including Orombello’s Angiol del pace, which is played, in typical Bottesini style, in harmonics. Christian Ciaccio’s new edition of the work here includes a number of suggested fingerings to guide the player through this challenging work, and piano accompaniments in both solo and orchestral tuning.
Artist: CHRISTIAN CIACCIO
Difficulty: VIRTUOSO