Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889) was the virtuoso double bass player and composer who single-handedly elevated his instrument from orchestral accompaniment to concert stardom. A friend and collaborator of Verdi, Bottesini composed extensively for the bass, creating works that exploited its full technical and expressive range. This 1989 recording features Wolfgang Harrer as soloist with the Neue Wiener Solisten and conductor Gerd Meditz, showcasing Bottesini's concertos, fantasias, and character pieces. The double bass emerges from its traditional role here—singing with operatic beauty, executing virtuosic passages with surprising agility, capturing both lyrical warmth and dramatic intensity. These pieces beautifully demonstrate why Bottesini earned the title 'Paganini of the Double Bass.' A rare opportunity to hear the bass as a true solo voice.

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