Double Bass Frantisek Posta

[damonsmith]

He was a an improtant Czech soloist and teacher. I have had a beautiful
LP of bass and piano, a recording of the Dvorak string Quintet and I just won an LP from ebay of concertos with orchestra, all three on the "State" label Supraphon. On the orchestra LP he plays the standards: Kousivitsky, Bottesinni "elegy in D" and Zimmermann Concerto in D.
He has an amazing rich and singing sound and an extremely high technical standard. Comparable to Streicher.
I have a big collection of solo double bass lps (by big I mean 52 and counting!) and he is one of the very best.
When I googled him it looked like some of it could have made it to cd.
He is and important part of our instrument's history and really worth tracking down.

 

[Dr Rod]

I agree with you.

Might I add that he was an incredible orchestral musician as well. Principal of the great Czeck Philharmonic.

 

[christ andronis]

yeah....but can he play electric???

 

[bassist14]

yeah....but can he play electric???

i don´t care if he played "electric"

i have an old lp "Frantisek posta and his singing grancino" with the interesting looking grancino-bass (1693)on the cover.
nice playing, too.
(it is the same bass as on the cover of damonsmith´s lp)

EDIT: just googeld this:
The Singing Grancino of Frantisek Posta
:Frantisek Posta(Cb.)
:Josef Hala(Pf)
etc.
Label:Japan Columbia(Supraphon)
Number:OX1324S[LP]
(1) F.Chopin:Melodie-Transcription of Etude in E major Op.10 No.3
(2) L.van Beethoven:Romance Op.50
(3) J.S.Bach:Air
(4) V.Kuchynka: Desire
(5) C.Saint-Saens:Le Cygne
(6) A.Dvorak:Songs my mother taught me
(7) G.B.Pergolesi:Aria
(8) G.F.Handel:Largo
(9) S.Koussevitzky:Andante
(10) F.Cerny:Chant d'Amour
(11) Z.Fibichoem

 

[christ andronis]

i don´t care if he played "electric"

i have an old lp "Frantisek posta and his singing grancino" with the interesting looking grancino-bass on the cover.
nice playing, too.
(it is the same bass as on the cover of damonsmith´s lp)

...it was a joke. Do they have humor over in Europe these days? I know interest in the World Cup is pretty intense. C'mon man, lighten up a little.

 

[bassist14]

...it was a joke. Do they have humor over in Europe these days? I know interest in the World Cup is pretty intense. C'mon man, lighten up a little.

sorry, i didnt get it .
yes, we have humor here. afaik...
you see:

 

[damonsmith]

I have that lp, it is a great one. I paid $1 for it!

 

[christ andronis]

sorry, i didnt get it .
yes, we have humor here. afaik...
you see:

well....if you're ever in Chicago, I'll buy you a beer and we'll have a laugh!!

btw...i'll check out this album/artist you speak of...I've never heard. Thanks!

 

[bassist14]

well....if you're ever in Chicago, I'll buy you a beer and we'll have a laugh!!

well....if you're ever in Bremen, I'll buy you a beer and we'll have a laugh!!

 

[damonsmith]

The Beer in Bremen is the better offer. There are sure a lot of great Radio Bremen recordings getting released.

 

[Bryan Pearson]

Have any of the Posta recordings made it to CD? He certainly was a great player - beautiful singing tone.

 

[vier-personen]

I think there was an article on Posta in one of the last 4 or 5 issues of Double Bassist Magazine? I have only ran over the pages but I think it was about him...
I remember they wrote that in the communist days he wasn´t allowed to travel, that´s why he is not widely known.

 

[Michael Binder]

Is there only existing this LP or also CDs or "DVDs"???
And where can I get it??
Michael.

 

[Zach Rowden]

Someone sell me any Posta Lps. PLEASE.

 

[damonsmith]

This is around:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Frantis...-Double-Bass-Conce-MP3-Download/11440096.html

 

[weary gill]

Thanks for the tip! Not too familiar with him.

 

[emilio g]

I believe he also taught Miroslav Vitous and George Mraz.

 

[fergus currie]

I took part in one of his last masterclasses at the RAM in my postgrad year in 1991. It was an inspirational experience.
FC

 

[Eric Swanson]

 

[Jaromir]

I believe he also taught Miroslav Vitous and George Mraz.

He was teacher of Miroslav Vitous. I had the privilege to be his student between 1983-85, after I finished the conservatory near my hometown. He used to have students from all over the world. In the former Czechoslovakia, he had the position of legendary bass player, although officially he was not too much promoted by the official media, controlled by the communist party.
He was a demanding teacher with natural authority and he had a great concept of intonation. He always preffered a good intonation and a singing tone over speed.