The Gentle Giant (A Lyric Solo for Double Bass and Orchestra): String Bass
A Lyric Solo for Double Bass and Orchestra
By Bob Phillips
Grade: 2.5
Item: 00-PC-0001568_SB
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Description
Following up on the hugely successful bass feature, "Bass-ically Bluegrass," the composer has written a gorgeous lyric solo for your young bass players! The perfect level to feature the young bass section or soloist, the easy solo bass part uses 1st through 3rd position with a momentary move into 4th position. This lush setting for soloist and string orchestra will be a big hit with your bass section and includes an optional bass part for section players. Written by a bass player for bass players and their teachers! (2:20)
Correlates with String Explorer Book Two, Unit 2. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Correlates with String Explorer Book Two, Unit 2. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Gentle Giant (A Lyric Solo for Double Bass and Orchestra): String Bass comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Highland/Etling String Explorer
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
74
SKU:
00-PC-0001568_SB
More about this title
About the Composer: Bob Phillips
Bob Phillips has shaped string education through four decades of teaching, composing, and mentorship. A bass player himself, he built the Saline, Michigan string program into a national model serving over 700 students across classical and eclectic styles. His pedagogical vision extends across 25+ book series (including Sound Innovations and the Philharmonic collections), more than 200 published orchestral and band works, and conducting appointments at major festivals and all-state orchestras nationwide.
Phillips's commitment to large-group pedagogy and stylistic diversity has earned him an ASCAP award and regular performances at the Midwest Clinic. He founded the internationally recognized Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic, served as resident conductor for Wintergrass Festival, and has conducted honors orchestras across nearly every state. His instructional video series, String Clinics to Go, continues to support thousands of teachers in the classroom.
Why we love this
Phillips writes for double bass from lived experience as a player, which means the solo sits perfectly under the fingers while sounding gorgeous to the ear. The optional section part gives you flexibility to feature a soloist or celebrate your entire bass section, and the correlation to String Explorer Book Two makes it a natural fit into your existing curriculum.
What to expect
Lush and singing, with a lyrical quality that lets the bass shine in its upper registers. The orchestral setting cradles the solo line in rich harmonic support, creating an intimate performance that feels far larger than the modest technical demands.
Who it's for
Young bass players ready to step into the spotlight, whether as a section feature or individual soloist. This piece works equally well for a single accomplished bassist or as a rotating solo opportunity that lets multiple players shine.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the bass soloist carefully during orchestral tutti sections; the string orchestra needs to frame rather than bury the lyric line.
- Work on the 4th position shift deliberately in rehearsal separate from the full ensemble, since most players will have limited experience there at this level.
- Shape the phrasing with long, singing bowstrokes; treat this as a vocal melody first, position work second.
How to use it
Program this as a concert feature when you want to celebrate your bass section; the 2:20 length makes it an ideal standalone piece or pairing with another String Explorer selection. It also works beautifully as a contest or festival entry, giving younger players meaningful solo experience in a low-stress musical context.
Skills your students will build
- Secure playing in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions with fluency between shifts
- Movement into 4th position with controlled intonation
- Lyrical phrasing and sustained tone in upper register
- Solo performance confidence within an ensemble accompaniment
- Coordination between solo line and orchestral support