Wind: Mahler Medley for Bass Quartet

About the piece: While I was studying classical bass at the Music Conservatory of Cologne, Germany, I got to play three of Gustav Mahler’s ten amazing symphonies. The first was Symphony No. 1, “The Titan,” with the State Youth Orchestra of Schleswig-Holstein. As section leader, I got to play the famous “Frere Jacques” bass solo a couple of times. It is not that difficult to play but it was still nerve-wracking when the timpanist started the introduction of the third movement. The second was Symphony No. 4 with the Hamburg State Youth Orchestra. The sold-out concert at the gorgeous concert hall “Musikhalle Hamburg” was memorable because of the spectacular ending with ten bass players playing an open E string at triple pianissimo. The performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” on the first anniversary of the passing of Leonard Bernstein was one of the most profound musical experiences I’ve ever experienced. Christoph Eschenbach conducted the orchestra of the Schleswig-Holste