Double Bass Concerto in E major

Dittersdorf's Double Bass Concerto in E major is one of the earliest and most important concertos for the instrument from the Classical era, and a cornerstone of the solo repertoire alongside the concerti of Vanhal and Capuzzi. Written around 1767 for his own court orchestra's bass player, the work shows the influence of Haydn and early Mozart in its cheerful, galant idiom — transparent orchestration, lyrical slow movement, and a dancing finale. The demanding solo writing helped define the expressive potential of the double bass as a solo instrument at a time when it was largely confined to orchestral accompaniment. The work is typically performed with the bass retuned to solo tuning (a whole step up), and editions vary in their transposition conventions. The sunny E major tonality gives the work a particularly bright character, exploiting open strings for a rich resonance.