Customer Reviews

Meyer & Bottesini Concertos

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Edgar Meyer fans will know only too well what "the other shoe" refers to: The balance (No.'s 3, 4 and 6) of Bach's Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, to follow up on his earlier recording of No.'s 1, 2 and 5. But, while we await that release, it's pleasant news that this album of showpieces for double bass (and violin and cello as well) has come along.

The album combines two works of Meyer with two by Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889), who, in his day, could have been considered "the Edgar Meyer of the 19th Century." Bottesini could also have been thought of as "the Nicolo Paganini of the double bass." Despite being barely known today, he had an international career, touring in Eurupe and the United States with his virtuoso concerti for double bass. (An interesting aside that I discovered only recently: In the early 1850's, Hector Berlioz gave a series of very successful concerts in London, conducting the London Philharmonic of the time. Bottesini was the double bass section leader of the Philharmonic, and Berlioz was so impressed with his skills that he programmed some Bottesini works during the course of these concerts.)

Meyer's Double Concerto for Cello and Double Bass opens with a sound in the low strings much as Bartók might have written. In fact, much of this work is "Bartókian" in its sound and its "motoric" figuring, notwithstanding Meyer's booklet notes pointing out some structural similarities between his own work and Mozart's well-known Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola. Meyer and Yo-Yo Ma are perfectly matched in this work, to the extent that there are places in the work where it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins, or which of the two of them is carrying the higher line.

Meyer's other composition, his Concerto in D for Double Bass and Orchestra, is both more youthful and more virtuosic. Parts of this work have more of an "Americana" feel to them, not unlike his Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (performed so splendidly by Hilary Hahn, who also provides a ravishing performance of the Barber Concerto for Violin and Orchestra), or, for that matter, Mark O'Connor's "Fanfare for the Volunteer." Other parts of the work will remind us of some of the work Meyer did on his "Uncommon Ritual" album, in terms of its "newgrass" inflections. Compared with his Double Concerto above, this work more fully stretches the envelope of Meyer's technique and his instrument.

Despite being an unapologetic Meyer fan, I must say that the two Bottesini works have been the hands-down winners for my attention on my first few passes through this album.

Both Bottesini works show off Meyer's beautiful tone on the instrument when he is required to "play it straight." The Concerto No. 2 is, according to Meyer, his favorite concerted work for the instrument dating back some twenty years (when he was less than half the age he is now). At that time, when he was - clearly - an impetuous youth, he wrote his own cadenzas for the first and third movements, and they are "killer" cadenzas indeed (particularly in the third movement, where he literally and figuratively pulls out all the stops). But the lyrical inner movement is equally remarkable for the beautiful singing tone of his instrument; one would hardly guess it to have been produced on his behemoth of instrument had it not been for its lower reaches.

The Gran Duo Concertante, originally written for two double basses and orchestra but later arranged for violin and double bass by a Paganini disciple named Camillo Savari, is another classical tour de force, here with Joshua Bell playing the violin part. Following a brief orchestral introduction, the two soloists enter together, and then take their turns swapping phrases back and forth, sometimes as solos and at other times as a duet. Often enough, their two melodic lines are close together on the staff, even overlapping. At such times, one can only wonder in awe at Meyer's tone, where it is almost violinistic in timbre. This man is simply staggering in his virtuosic ability on his instrument. And Bell matches him note for note. Of the four works here, this one is likely to be the real "crowd pleaser" for its tunefulness and its swapping of hot licks on the two instruments.

While the Gran Duo Concertante is just fine as rewritten for violin and double bass, and while this is some of the best work I've heard from Joshua Bell in recent (Sony) years, I'd just LOVE to hear this work as Bottesini originally wrote it, for two double basses. There is another great double bassist out there, by the name of Gary Karr, whom I can envision playing the other double bass part. (I would leave it to Meyer and Karr to sort out who was to play which line in the work.) This would enable those of us who "keep score" on such matters to decide whether Meyer or Karr is the better instrumentalist. Personally, I'd be delighted with a dead-heat tie.

Edgar Meyer fans will, needless to say, relish this release in its entirety. For lovers of good classical string music, buy this for the two Bottesini works. You'll certainly not be disappointed.

Splendid support all around by Hugh Wolff and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (the same group who provided support for Hilary Hahn's album noted earlier). Great sound, too, whether listened to over speakers or through headphones.

Now it's back to waiting for those three missing Bach cello suites.

Bob Zeidler

Some instruments have a depressingly small repertoire; the double bass is unquestionably one of these. Although Beethoven wrote gorgeous sonatas for cello and piano, he was not tempted to try a solo work for the cello's big brother. Neither Tchaikovsky nor Mendelsohnn put pen to paper for a Concerto for Bass and Orchestra; it did not occur to Brahms to follow his Alto Rhapsody with an instrumental version down several octaves. And so bass players must either scour the music archives for works by second or third tier composers, write something themselves, or play transcriptions of works originally composed for their more popular cousins. Edgar Meyer has previously given us the latter, with his performances of the Bach Cello Suites. In this CD he tries both the two former approaches, composing two concertos, and resurrecting two works by the Italian Giovanni Bottesini (1821 - 1889). Bottesini was himself a bassist, and only incidentally a composer. He was a contemporary of both Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi, but his music is firmly rooted in the Classical period, with little apparent interest in the harmonic, melodic and rhythmic innovations of his time. As such, it is at best pleasant music, rather like mediocre Haydn. Meyer spices up the Bottesini by adding his own cadenza, which helps quite a bit. Meyer's cadenza in the last movement of Bottesini's Second Concerto for Double Bass and orchestra is the unquestionable highlight of the piece.

Edgar Meyer is probably best known to Classical music lovers for his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma and Mark O'Connor on the Appalachian Journey and Appalachia Waltz CDs. Like Ma, O'Connor, and any number of current virtuosi from Nigel Kennedy and Richard Stolzman to Vanessa-Mae, he branches out to a wide variety of styles, from Jazz to Bluegrass to Classical, often blending two or more approaches in a single piece. But in this CD Meyer plays a more straightforward role. Listeners hoping for the unbridled Americana of some of his other projects may be disappointed. Although an occasional bluesy inflection or jazzy syncopation comes through, on the whole these works are grounded in the Classical or neo-Classical tradition. George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is a hundred times jazzier than either Meyer concerto contained here. Meyer's Double Concerto for Cello, Double Bass and orchestra is the more accessible of his two concerti. Even here the context is not pure jazz or blues, though; for example the second movement contains the most overtly jazzy passage in the CD, with Meyer's pizzicato bass counterpoint to Yo-yo Ma's cello melody. Even here the jazzy passage is surrounded by an odd patchwork of contrasting musical textures, one almost minimalist, one somewhat reflective of sixteenth century counterpoint.

There is no question of Meyer's virtuosity as a performer. He has technique to spare, an impeccable sense of intonation and a real mastery of his admittedly awkward instrument. That he often fingers pitches with only a single digit to create a more "vocal" sound, makes his performance more astounding. But as an apparently self-trained composer (the Sony website only mentions his bass teachers and nothing about any composition studies, and I've been unable to find any information about such), Meyer ranks only somewhat better than Bottesini. What technique he has as a performer, he lacks as a composer; and compositional technique is one of those things you don't appreciate until it is missing. Like Bottesini, Meyer is essentially conservative, and these pieces too often lack a strong sense of drama and gesture; furthermore the basic material is neither harmonically nor melodically compelling. His compositional strengths lie in his superb understanding of his solo instrument and in creating interesting textures and rhythms. Like fellow performer/self-taught composer Mark O'Connor he relies too often on repetition as the main method of development. After you've heard the Meyer Concertos you are more likely to be impressed with his playing than you are to hum the tunes--as display pieces they are wonderful, but they don't attain greatness. Again, at its best the music is quite pleasant and enjoyable, but I doubt it will have a lasting appeal for most listeners. Certainly the Meyer Concerti are not the equal of the Dvorak Cello Concerto, the Beethoven "Emperor" Concerto, the Mendelsohnn Violin Concerto; nor do they achieve the quality of twentieth century works like the Bartok Piano Concerti or John Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. Bass players will have to keep waiting for their masterpiece. But while they are waiting, we can still enjoy Meyer's fabulous performances on this disc.

In this digitally mastered age where perfectly virtuosic performances threaten to lose their capacity to amaze, Edgar Meyer does it brilliantly by making the most unwieldy of behemoth instruments dance on its toes. ...his compositional skills, while impressive, lose some of their glitz paired with his incredible virtuosity. But, they are very enjoyable works. The concerto for Bass works particularly well, I feel: it is effective as both a showcase of his abilities as a performer, has real musical interest, and pulls traditionally American musical ideas into the mix without sounding trite.

As an aside, not since Glenn Gould have I enjoyed a performer's "spontaneous vocal improvisation" additions on a recording. Meyer's percussive exhalations on off-beats in the highly rhythmic passages (especially in the 3rd movement of the Bottesini concerto and in the duet) are too much fun!

As usual, Meyer gives an outstanding performance on his upright bass. However, I recommend Uncommon Ritual as a more listenable and downright incredible presentation of Meyer's talent. That's just my personal preference, but you don't have to take my word for it.

This album is a must have. No one ever really thinks of double bass used much as a solo instrument. It tends to fade into the woodwork in symphony orchestra as the foundation of orchestral works. Enter Edgar Meyer. Meyer is probably one of the most accomplished musicians I have ever heard on ANY instrument. Meyer is an unbelievable virtuoso possessing all of the great qualities of an outstanding musician. His speed is unreal, his tone is nothing short of beautiful, his sensitivity is full of emotion and his dynamic playing leaves the audience captivated by all the things that a double bass can do that we never even thought about. Meyer is without a doubt one of the most outstanding musicians around today.

This disc has two extremes of music for the double bass. We hear the everything from Edgar Meyer's genre-crossing, ground breaking compositions to the traditional 19th century work of Giovanni Bottesini. Meyer's work as a composer is just as excellent as his work as a performer. He pushes the boundaries of classical music by incorporating other genres but stays within the framework of the tradition of classical music. The result is quite phenominal.

It is also wonderful to hear the other performances of Meyer with Joshua Bell and Yo-Yo Ma. Essentially, this disc acts as a who's who of the bowed instruments. Both Ma and Bell are also very amazing players and really contribute to the sound of the recording. The cello and the violin add a nice touch variety to the album as well. It is especially refreshing to hear the piercing high tone of Joshua Bell at the end. His playing is absolutely gorgeous. I have reason to believe that Mr. Bell could make me cry if he played right.

This disc is quite outstanding. Any lover of classical music will find absolute elation in it. This is truely outstanding work.

Finally, Edgar has realized a straight up Bass CD. Sure, the Bach Cello suites qualified, but they aren't true bass material. Some might argue that he has taken too many liberties with the Bottesini, but who cares. It isn't like he's the first to do that.

This is a great album for those who enjoy Edgar, who enjoy good bass music or good music in general. Edgar is just a great musician - plain and simple. I think before he is dead and gone, he will be more known for his compositions than his playing.

One night recently I happened to hear a piece by Bottesini being played by bassist Edgar Meyer on NPR and was completely blown away by the sound of it. Meyer made the bass sound like a cello or even a violin at times, but then he would play lower notes that would give away the true identity of his instrument. It's always hard to make out the names of unfamiliar composers and musicians being announced after a piece is played on NPR, but I was able to hang on to "Edgar Meyer", and so I Googled "Edgar Meyer bass", and immediately the album came up on Amazon and I ordered it. I was not disappointed! The album in its entirety is absolutely astounding. I've heard a lot of jazz bass virtuosos over the years but never like Meyer on classical double bass. His own compositions for double bass and cello and double bass and violin with absolutely top players Yo Yo Ma and Joshua Bell are even more enjoyable. No hands down, this is absolutely one of the best string recordings I've ever heard, and I continue to play it over and over.

I love this music. A couple weeks ago I saw a ballet to this music, and of course i needed to buy the CD after seeing such grand use of its great sound waves. And I love it!

Meyer's playing is, to my ear, impeccable, and with the addition of Bell and Yo-Yo Ma you have three great virtuosos playing on this CD.

My only problem is that I love the Bottesini works and feel so-so on his own compositions. I feel that the audience would have been better served if he had created two CDs; one with Bottesini bass works (and other standard classical music) and one with his own "Appalachian-style" compositions.

I don't think that his own compositions are necessarily bad; I just don't particularly appreciate them as much as I do his playing of classical repertoire.

One thing to commend, though, is that Meyer is taking an instrument that lacks a large library of music and featuring it in remarkable performances of existant pieces as well as creating his own works.

Edgar Meyer is an incredible talent on the instrument. The two classical CD's of his that I've heard, this and the Bach, have flawless intonation and attack on every note. While it's great to raise the bar for double bassists, I feel his musicality both as a performer and as a composer is decidedly lacking, now that there are many great performers on the instrument. When I listen to him next to, say, Gary Karr, Eugene Levinson, and Jeff Bradetich, his sound is nowhere near as interesting. It's solid, but not complex, and multiple listenings haven't led me to discover new things about the music, which is quite the opposite on those of his competitors. He plays the Bottesini like he's only half enjoying himself. Frankly, that is not acceptable for music like this. Meyer, to me, is just playing notes on a page. Gary Karr, on the other hand, lives every note that he plays...he wastes nothing (at least on most of his recordings). I've given blind listening tests to non-musicians and right from the first note of Gary Karr they prefer him; his sound grabs them and doesn't let go.

Also, for a more historically accurate performance, you can get the Thomas Martin Bottesini album with the other Bottesini concerto (F# minor) on it. Thomas Martin studied Bottesini's method books, fingerings, and virtually tried to become Bottesini. And all the other bassists I listed (and there are others as well) play with more passion and a more interesting sound. Don't be fooled just by technique--this music should have much more to it than that.

Meyer admitted in a phone interview published in a Chicago newspaper that he doesn't like the double bass repertoire one bit...which is why he mostly performs his own works. That being said, Bottesini's Grand Duo with Josh Bell is probably my favorite piece on the CD, maybe the only memorable one. Meyer is a good composer, I think; his Appalachian and bluegrass-style pieces are so much fun to listen to. I feel he should stick to that as a composer and performer. His two concertos here have some great moments, but overall are shallow and boring.

I realize I'm extremely opinionated about Meyer, but I think it's necessary to give voice to honest criticism, and I'm not the only double bassist who feels the way I do. It's sort of like listening to jazz and only checking out Wynton Marsalis--there is much better music out there, more authentically played if it's older music, and better musicianship if it's more contemporary jazz that Marsalis really doesn't do. If you really love Meyer's playing over Gary Karr, Eugene Levinson, Jeff Bradetich, Thomas Martin, Franco Petracchi, and Edwin Barker, then support him. Don't just support him because he's on the Sony Classical label and he's the only double bassist you've ever heard of.

Other suggestions:
Anything by Eugene Levinson
Gary Karr--Spirit of Koussevitzky, Virtuoso D.B. Concertos
Anything by Jeff Bradetich
Thomas Martin--recordings of Bottesini works
Franco Petracchi--an EMI album, hard to find on CD, of a Bottesini Duo
Jeremy McCoy--Dialogues with Double Bass (superb musicianship)

These gentlemen are excellent classical soloists, not just masters of their instrument. Happy listening!