Domenico Dragonetti

Domenico Dragonetti (April 7, 1763 - April 16, 1846), was an Italian double bass player.

Related Topics:
April 7 - 1763 - April 16 - 1846 - Italian - Double bass

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Born in Venice, Dragonetti stayed there, playing in the orchestra at San Marco until he moved to London at age 21 and settled there.

Related Topics:
Venice - San Marco - London

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Dragonetti had no family, though he kept a collection of life-sized cloth mannequins, with which he traveled often; he brought them to his concerts and had them placed in front row seats of theaters. He introduced one of these as his wife (one shudders at the implications of this piece of eccentricity). His closest companion for several years was his dog Carlo, who would sleep under his stool during performances, sometimes awakening to howl during tenor solos.

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He was a friend of Haydn and Beethoven. He played one of Beethoven's cello sonatas, transposed for double bass, with the composer on piano.

Related Topics:
Haydn - Beethoven

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Dragonetti's style was extremely powerful. Legend has it that one night, while staying at a hotel, he came out on to the balcony in the middle of the night and played his bass with extreme force. The next morning, the people who spent the night there the previous night were heard asking other customers if they had "heard the storm".

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To this day, the mastering of the Beethoven double bass symphonic parts are considered a basic standard for all orchestral double bass players. In part we can attribute this to Dragonetti's friendship with Beethoven.

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