These four pieces for double bass comprising a Prelude, Burlesque, Nocturne and Tarantella were composed in 1968. They have remained very popular among double bass players to the present day while being extremely challenging to play. Our edition adopts the musical text from the Supraphon edition of 1969. The double bass part and the Foreword have been revised by Stefan Schaefer, the solo double bassist of the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra.