Music for Two (Bonus DVD)

Unspecified (Composer), Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Bela Fleck (Composer), Bela / Meyer, Edgar Fleck (Composer), Miles Davis (Composer), Edgar Meyer (Composer), Henry Eccles (Composer), Edgar Meyer (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Edgar Meyer
• Composer: Unspecified, Johann Sebastian Bach, Bela Fleck, Bela / Meyer, Edgar Fleck, Miles Davis, et al.
• Audio CD (April 27, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0001XAMS6
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,966 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #9 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Symphonies > Sinfonia
  • #13 in Music > Rock > Jam Bands > Bluegrass Jam Bands

Track Listings

1. Bug Tussle

2. Invention 10, BWV 796

3. Pile Up

4. Prelude No.24, BWV 869

5. Solar

6. Blue Spruce

7. Canon

8. The One I Left Behind

9. V. Menuet I - II, BWV 825

10. Prelude No.2, BWV 847

11. Palmyra

12. The Lake Effect

13. Largo/Allegro Vivace

14. Allegro Vivace

15. Wrong Number

16. Woolly Mammoth

17. Wishful Thinking

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On Music for Two, banjo wizard Béla Fleck and stand-up bass maestro Edgar Meyer effortlessly sail through a challenging program that includes compositions by Bach, a sonata by Henry Eccles, a Miles Davis tune, and a number of self-composed finger twisters. The amazing thing about this varied selection is not its eclecticism--which is only to be expected with these two--but that it all blends together so seamlessly. Fleck's jazz-tinged compositions (like "The Lake Effect") and Meyer's bluegrass-inspired tunes (like "Wishful Thinking") sit so comfortably next to Bach's baroque jewels and Davis's cool jazz that it makes you question the entire of concept of musical classification. (In fact, the Bach preludes, inventions, and partitas translate so well to the banjo/bass arrangements, you have to wonder if old JSB might not have had a bit of bluegrass in his soul.) Music for Two was recorded live at a series of 2001 concerts, where Fleck and Meyer proved conclusively that the banjo and the bass were capable of remarkable subtlety and not just twang and boom. --Michael John Simmons

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A virtuosic and virtuous disc. May 4, 2004

By Dustin Georgemiller

Format:Audio CD

Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer are the unequivocal masters of their respective instruments, the banjo and the string bass, and have been such close friends for so long that a colloborative effort seems like a natural evolution of their ouvre. Indeed, the beauty of this disc is that the music does not get bogged down under the weight of their combined musical genius. On Music for Two, a Sony Classical release, Fleck and Meyer weave intricate tapestries of sound, combining straight classical transcriptions of Bach (the original classical virtuoso and arguably the touchstone for all of western music) with improvised tunes from their own repertoire. "Bug-Tussle" and "Pile Up" are upbeat, catchy newgrass charts that are heavy on the improv. "Blue Spruce" is a new-agey Flecktune featuring Bela in a semi-rare performance on the six-string guitar and Edgar on piano. "Wrong Number" pulls a fast one on the live audience, as an interrupting cell phone becomes an elaborate gag that is worked into the song itself. And the Bach transcriptions are not only 100% faithful, but 100% flawless. The added DVD only enhances the listening experience, as you get to see fingers and hands in action, making the virtuosity of Fleck and Meyer even more apparent. In the end, "Music for Two" proves that sometimes when you combine two musical talents of this caliber, one plus one equals MUCH more than just two.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Endlessly inventive December 30, 2004

By Malcolm Res

Format:Audio CD

As two of the most highly regarded technicians of their respective instruments, Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer collaboration on "Music for Two" couldn't be anything less than inspiring. The duo exceed expectations by writing eloquent and evocative pieces. As I continue to listen to the album, their original compositions come to the fore as the marquee sections of the disc. The album could have been strengthened by shedding the veneer of classical music and relying solely on their original compositions.

Bela is uncanny in choices of excellent bassists. (Vic and Edgar) I heard that Victor joined Bela and Edgar for one of their concerts during their tour. I wish I had been there.

In concert, Bela and Edgar are consummate professionals. At times, their stirring music transported me of the concert hall and into a dreamlike state of memory-drenched bliss. Their music is at once amazingly ambitious, yet blessedly timeless. Here's hoping that they get together more often...

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extraordinary Album from Two Virtuosos April 30, 2004

By L. Walderich

Format:Audio CD

Anyone who appreciates quality music should own this album.

This is one of those albums that from the first moment you listen to it, you will be immediately hooked. It combines selections from Bach and other classical composers with completely original compositions by both Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. And, what makes the album really unique is the humorous interaction between the two musicians - and the audience! (Wait until you hear "Wrong Number".)

However, you won't really appreciate the depth of the album until you watch the bonus DVD. It's a documentary on how the two musicians worked together to perfect one of the album's selections ("Canon"). The filmwork was high-quality as was the recording of the album itself.

For the price, you won't find a better value in excellent musicianship and documentary. And, for the record you will be hardpressed to find two better musicians and composers living in this day and age.