Konzert Kontrabass

KONTRABACH<>Friedemann Treiber

Double bass is deep, double bass is dark, yet double bass is an experience for everyone, a broadening of horizons.

In Kontrabach's arrangements, J.S. Bach's music shows its very own, new side. The special feature is the very idiosyncratic and daring instrumentation with double bass clarinet and double bass. With their interpretations, Marc Lardon and Daniel Sailer succeed in the balancing act between the Baroque and the present. The music usually sounds two octaves lower than usual, chords are sometimes more reminiscent of clusters, but the music still remains harmonious and understandable at all times and at the same time impresses with a new quality and independence.

"In last year's programme, we took the step into the present with the world premiere of David Sontòn Caflisch's work "La harpa da taghel" from 2024. And this year we will again play contemporary music in our program in addition to Bach. The line-up of double bass clarinet and double bass is almost predestined for new musical experiments. Again, it's a composition that was written especially for us. The Basel composer Friedemann Treiber has created the work "Expanding fields and horizons" for us, which we will premiere in this year's program.
The composition lasts about 30 minutes and forms one half of the concert, the other half we play music by J.S. Bach."

Marc Lardon, double bass clarinet
Daniel Sailer, double bass

Friedemann A. Treiber (*1971)
"Expanding fields and horizons" for contrabass clarinet and double bass (2025)

Already in 2003 I received the commission from David Sontòn Caflisch to write a quartet based on sculptures by the artist Sibilla Caflisch for flute (also piccolo), violin, bass clarinet (also contrabass clarinet) and double bass.
This work experienced with the Ensemble ö! in 2004 in Chur under the title "Perspectives".
In addition to David Sontòn Caflisch, the performers were violin and Riccarda Caflisch, flute
also the two musicians of "Kontrabach" Daniel Sailer, double bass and Marc Lardon, bass and double bass clarinet.
Even then, I was attracted by the unusual combination of two high and two
deep instruments and the exploration of their instrumental and musical possibilities.
In 2025, the duo "Kontrabach" approached me to ask if I could write a work for the special
instrumentation double bass and contrabass clarinet. I was fascinated by this idea. "Expanding fields and horizons" follows on from the occupation of the "Perspectives" (2003/04), but goes a decisive step further, both in terms of the exclusive use of two very deep instruments and in terms of temporal extension. Despite the extremely low register, both instruments still have an enormous range up to the heights. Again, it was very appealing for me to explore the limits of the two instruments, in the spirit of the title "Expanding fields and horizons", so that it sounds to the audience like much more than a duo of two low instruments. The work bears the motto "... de profundis...» from Psalm 130 of the Old Testament.
In keeping with this psalm, it is about transcendental expansions in several attempts and waves, interspersed here and there with minimalist elements, from an initially deeply gloomy soundscape to a hopeful brightening at the end.
Thus, in the course of the approximately 30-minute work, both instruments open up more and more the entire tone ambitus from the low to the high register.
The work also plays with the listener's sense of time, so that many musical
Developments appear as if in slow motion.
Basel, October 2025


Concert program:

1. "Duetto No.1" in E minor, BWV 802
2. "Adagissimo" from the Capriccio in B flat minor, BWV 992
3. "Fugue in C minor" (unfinished), BWV 906
4. "Expanding fields and horizons" Friedemann Treiber 2025 (premiere)

Concert dates

Fri.20.2.2026, 18:30h Malans, Sternen-Café
Tue.24.2.2026, 17h Arosa, Bergkirchli
Wed.25.2.2026, 20h Feldis, ref. church
Thu.26.2.2026 19h Maienfeld, ref. Church
Sat.28.2.2026 20h Andeer, ref. Church
Tue,3.3.2026 20h Basel, Museum Kleines Klingental

Thu.7.5.2026, 20:15h Ilanz, Cinema Silplaz
Sat.9.5.2026, 20h Scharans, ref. church
Sun.10.5.2026 20h Zurich, Kunstraum Walcheturm
Tue.12.5.2026 19:30h Chur, Postremise