Fantasia (from Lucia di Lammermoor) for string bass and piano; Giovanni Bottesini

Fantasia (from Lucia di Lammermoor) for string bass and piano by Giovanni Bottesini

• Edited by Thomas Martin. Published by International

Giovanni Bottesini (1821-89) was one of the most remarkable virtuosos of the 19th century. He was the Romantic era's foremost double bass soloist and composer for the instrument, responsible for greatly extending its technical and expressive possibilities thru concertos, bravura works, and salon pieces, much as Paganini did for the violin. He was also a respected conductor of Italian opera, known for playing virtuosic fantasies on popular opera themes on his bass during intermissions.

Of his opera fantasies, by far the most popular and celebrated during his lifetime was the ''Fantasie on themes from Lucia di Lammermoor'', based on Gaetano Donizetti's most famous opera. Bottesini himself regarded this fantasy as one of his favorites. Edited by Thomas Martin. Master level, grade 6