Lâska, Gustav

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Lâska, Gustav

Lâska, Gustav, Bohemian composer and double-bass player; b. Prague, Aug. 23, 1847; d. Schwerin, Oct. 16, 1928. He studied at the Prague Cons, with Hrabe, Kittl, and Krejči. Following a year of giving double-bass concerts, he joined the Court Orch. in Kassel (1868–72), then in Sondershausen (1872–75). He was a theater conductor in Göttingen, Eisleben, and Halberstadt. He played double bass in Berlin, and in 1878 he became double-bass player in the Court Orch. in Schwerin.

Works

Der Kaisersoldat, opera; Deutsches Aufgebot, cantata; 2 syms.; 2 overtures; Double-bass Concerto; 3 masses; several works for Double Bass and Piano (3 Romanzen, Rhapsodie, Erotik, Ballade und Polonaise, Schlummerlied, Karneval von Venedig, etc.); piano pieces; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire