Concerto for Double Bass in D major

Franz Anton Hoffmeister's Double Bass Concerto in D major (c. 1790) is one of the most important and frequently performed works in the solo bass repertoire, occupying a similar position to the Dittersdorf and Vanhal concertos as a vehicle for demonstrating the bass's lyrical and technical possibilities in the Classical era. Hoffmeister — better known as a publisher who founded the firm that became Breitkopf & Härtel — was also a prolific composer, and the concerto reveals a genuine understanding of the instrument's singing character. The opening Allegro moderato presents two contrasting themes with a clear sense of Classical formal architecture, the Andante sings with genuine melodic warmth, and the Rondo finale's folk-dance energy makes it a crowd-pleasing conclusion. The concerto has been championed by virtually every major double bass soloist of the past century and remains a key recital and concerto work for the instrument.