World renowned double bass player Aladar Pege has died at the age of 67. His family are quoted as saying that the Hungarian musician died in hospital on Saturday after "patiently enduring brief suffering," but they do not reveal what his illness was. A statement from the Hungarian ministry of education and culture said in a statement: "Hungary's cultural society is once again in mourning. Aladar Pege has left us."
Pege is widely credited with raising the profile and status of his instrument. He was born into a family of gypsy musicians, but did not start playing the bass until he was fifteen years old. In 1963 he formed his internationally acclaimed jazz ensemble, and by 1970 had won the title of Europe's Best Soloist at the Montreux Jazz Festival. During his career, he performed with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Charlie Mingus, Art Farmer, Albert Mangelsdorff and Dexter Gordon.
Labelled by critics the "Paganini of the bass," in later years, Pege began to focus on classical work, transcribing and performing music written for other instruments, because so few pieces are written for the double bass. He won top Hungarian artistic award, the Kossuth Prize, in 1982.