Quartettino Basso 5/4 was commissioned by David Heyes and was premiered by the double bass students at Wells Cathedral School (Somerset, UK) on 5 May 2006. Aimed at the intermediate quartet, with effective and accessible musical and technical challenges for each player, this is a colourful and engaging two-movement work of atmospheric and tonal contrasts. Primarily written in the orchestral register, both movements are in 5/4 time, hence the title, and there is much here to enjoy for bassists of all ages and abilities.The 1st movement (Adagio) employs a wealth of dark and sombre tone colours before developing into a more atmospheric section, contrasting simple harmonic passages with melodies in the lower registers. The 2nd movement (Allegro moderato) is rhythmic and confident with a strong forward momentum, alongside some passages in treble clef for basses 1 and 2, but nothing too challenging.
