Three impressive and advanced works [Northern Light / Postcard from Tanglewood / Freeplay] from one of the most impressive and inventive British composers writing for the instrument today. Each work offers musical and technical challenges within a lyrical yet contemporary framework. These are new exciting and innovative works for the adventurous bassist wishing to demonstrate more than simply technique.

Performance Level: Advanced

"Common Ground is a set of three programmatic pieces - essentially miniatures - for unaccompanied double bass. They are advanced, use the whole range of the instrument and require a not insubstantial interpretative element to achieve a convincing performance. The programme is given, and I can well imagine the printed scenario being read to the audience before the performance, though this isn't specified as a requirement by the composer. There are harmonics, double stops, slides of several kinds, plus some low double stops which I an not entirely convinced about, and some tricky widely spaced ones too, but overall these are nicely characterised, pointillistic pieces." (ESTA - News & Views)

Details about John Alexander are available on the 'Biographies' page.