Edgar Meyer performance in Nashville

[Flint Buchanan]

I took a little road trip last night up to Nashville, b/c that seemed to be the closest that Mr. Meyer was coming to me in the foreseeable future. While I am no expert, these are my impressions of the evening.

The performance was listed as "an evening with Emanuel Ax and Edgar Meyer". Mr. Ax played admirably on the piano and performed one solo piece that was extremely impressive. On the whole, though, I was somewhat disappointed with the piano accompaniment. I simply had a difficult time discerning/and even hearing the sound of the bass at many points in the evening. I'm not sure if that is the fault of an audio mixer, the piano, pianist, bassist, the bass, or some combination. Either way- I had trouble enjoying some of the evening because I simply couldn't hear it.

What I heard I found exhilarating (and depressing). It was exhilarating because I was able to “feel” the notes as Mr. Meyer fingered them-I kept thinking “he’s got to have the lowest action in the world” because his touch seemed so slight and gentle-yet quick and precise at the same time. And yet it was depressing because, even though I can “hear” the music in my head, and visualize myself doing it, I know that I simply started too late to ever do what he’s doing. I can certainly relish in the performance of others, but I admit that I wish I were able to carry on such a lyrical conversation with my own instrument.

And the instrument-I had read that he used a small bass, but I was still somewhat surprised when I saw it. It certainly is a 5/8ths, and maybe a small one at that. However, the tone is great and it seemed to cut through the mix when asked. The sound was very similar to the recorded sound I have heard from this bass, so I was pleased.

In the end I left inspired.