Alex Hanna gets an assist from Serge Koussevitzky

Alexander Hanna, principal bass of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, usually plays an 18th-century Italian instrument owned by the ensemble. But when he steps into the spotlight as a soloist during concerts April 28-30 and May 3, he will perform on a borrowed bass with a fascinating and rarefied pedigree.

Hanna will be featured in the CSO’s first-ever performances of Giovanni Bottesini’s Double Bass Concerto No. 2 (1853). Because the work’s bevy of fast arpeggios and scales are difficult to produce on Hanna’s usual instrument, he sought a smaller bass more suitable to such intricate solo work.

To that end, the International Society of Bassists has lent Hanna what is known as the Karr-Koussevitzky Bass, a prized solo instrument once owned by Serge Koussevitzky, a renowned conductor who served as music director of the Boston Symphony from 1924 through 1949. In addition, he was also a well-respected bass soloist and wrote a still-performed concerto for the instrument.

“The KK bass has a smaller shape and shorter string length that makes it more realistic to play the virtuoso passages in the Bottesini concerto,” Hanna said. “The lush, singing tone of the instrument works beautifully for the lyrical nature of the piece.”

Little about the origin or maker of the historic bass is known. Koussevitzky bought it in 1901 and had it until his death in 1951. The conductor’s widow gave the instrument to Gary Karr, one of the great bass soloists of his time. Karr, who is now 80, played the instrument for some 40 years and then donated it to the bass society, and that organization makes it available for projects like this.

“The Karr-Koussevitzky Bass is famous among the world of bassists for the tonal quality and projection it possesses,” Hanna said. “I was deeply influenced by Gary’s recordings, and I believe he used this instrument on nearly all of them. It’s not the wand, it’s the wizard, but Gary could pull an incredible sound out of this instrument.”

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