75 Years on 4 Strings: The Life and Music of François Rabbath

by Hans Sturm

Overview

75 Years on 4 Strings is the authoritative biography of the legendary self-taught double bassist François Rabbath. The much-beloved artist-teacher sat for countless hours of interviews and shared candid stories from throughout his illustrious career, from his earliest memories of his childhood in 1930s Syria to his ninetieth-birthday virtual recital in Paris in 2021. Highlights, such as accompanying twentieth-century French chanson stars Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf, performing for Pablo Picasso's ninetieth birthday, and premiering his own virtuosic compositions influenced by jazz, Middle Eastern, and classical music in front of crowds of thousands in South America, contrast with the painful consequences of trying to balance a life on the road with a young family, as well as the struggles he faced as a Middle Eastern immigrant in France.

Artists and musicians from around the world spoke of their encounters and collaborations with Rabbath. Many shared their astonishment at hearing him for the first time-describing their reactions to witnessing performances of Bach at the same pitch as the cello, improvisations on major movie soundtracks, or interpretations of adventurous new works composed for him. While he has been called a sorcerer and the Paganini of the double bass, he is also remembered as unstintingly generous and childlike. Rabbath revolutionized the way the double bass is played through his innovative pivot and crab techniques-discoveries that allow the double bass to be played with ease. His multivolume Nouvelle technique method, DVDs, and masterclasses on five continents have influenced a generation of bassists.

Includes photographs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798985305722
Publisher:	Avant Bass
Publication date:	07/25/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	8 MB

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

 

Avec Quatre Cordes François Rabbath

Prelude

1 The Early Years

2 Introduction to the Bass

3 The Rabbath Trio

4 Paris!

5 Boussagol

6 Fast Cars & Aznavour . . .

7 The Sound of a Bass

8 Picasso & Bahija

9 A New Life

10 New York, Cincinnati & London

11 The Audition

12 Frank & Paul

13 A Fantasy, a Film & Other Dramas

14 The Opera Years

15 Barry & Ray

16 Carmen & George

17 Family Life & Picasso's Picassos

18 Bach

19 Paganini & Jazz

20 Sylvain

Coda François Rabbath

For the Future François Rabbath

 

Notes

Pedagogy

Composition Stories

Publications and Awards

Solo Concert History

Index

Photographs follow page 129.