Given this concert's Bohemian theme, I would no longer think of Simandl as unconventional but artistic, yes. Simandl developed the major technique of double bass playing although he now has competition from Rabbath. But still his technique and book is known by all who take up classical double bass. Kyle Ramsay-Daniel, known to all the local classical string community, performed a lunchtime Wesley concert with Ella Luhtasaari entitled the Bohemian Double Bass and featuring Franz Simandl with Adolf Misek, Frantisek Cerny and Vojtech Kuchynka. All from the Austro-Hungarian area and perhaps all having studied in Prague. Kyle gave a great background to each composer even if I didn't catch it all, but most important, of course, were the compositions. A scherzo capriccioso form Simandl, melodic and playful and way up the neck as perhaps as all double bass solos do. Then a three movement sonata from Misek, a beautiful notturno & intermezzo from Cerny and a final canzonetta from Kuchynka. So mostly light and lyrical with a touch of dance in the rhythms. It was demanding bass for Kyle and he did it proud (I learned tons from just watching) with effective and responsive piano accompaniment form Ella. But the greatest claim of all was Kyle's own link to Simandl, having studied in a direct line of a few generation to Simandl himself. It's not so far back (Simandl 1980-1912) but still wildly exciting to hear. I guess that places Max McBride one step closer to the great Simandl himself. And that story of 600 solo recitals by Kuchynka.
Kyle Ramsay-Daniel (bass) was accompanied by Ella Luhtasaari (piano) playing compositions for double bass at Wesley.
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