Oxford Companion to Music Scholes

10th ed.

Bottesini, Giovanni (p.1088, pl. 179.7). Born in Lombardy in 1821 and died at Parma in 1889, aged sixty-seven. At the age of eleven he applied for admission to the Conservatory of Milan.  It was full except for one place for a double-bass student.  He therefore took up this instrument, passed the examination, and started on that career which made him perhaps the champion double-bass player of history. (See Violin Family  9.)  He composed for his instrument. (Cf. Carnival of Venice. )

            He was also a successful opera conductor in Paris, Barcelona, Cairo, and London, and composed operas and (for the Norwich Festival of 1887) an oratorio, The Garden of Olivet .

            See also Concerto  6 b (1821).