Serge Alexandrovich Koussevitzky (July 26, 1874 - June 4, 1951) was a Russian composer, conductor and double bassist. Born in to a musical family, his parents taught him violin, cello, piano, and trumpet. At 14 years old he won a scholarship to study the double bass at the Musico-Dramatic Institute of the Moscow Philharmonic Society, where he excelled in his studies.

At age 20 he joined the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, and became principal in 1901. He also made his double bass solo debut around this time in Moscow, and won critical acclaim for a recital he gave in Berlin in 1903. A year earlier he wrote a double bass concerto (with the help of Reinhold Gliere) and premiered it in Moscow in 1905. Not long after, Koussevitzky resigned from the Bolshoi, and moved to Berlin to study conducting. He would go on to conduct more extensively,  while also working as a soloist, and eventually became conductor of the Boston Symphony.

As a composer, Koussevitzky wrote primarily for the double bass, including a short work entitled Chanson Triste.  Though a short work, this piece for double bass and piano has great depth of feeling, and conveys a sense of grief. The piece starts in the higher register of the instrument, and repeats itself a few times, and in the middle of the work is a much more tumultuous cadenza-like section that is a good workout for a double bassist! This small work packs a musical and technical punch, and would be great for a recital, or personal enjoyment.

Here is a  recording of this work for you to enjoy!

Mark Morton