We’re looking forward to presenting bass virtuoso and recent Grammy winner Edgar Meyer with genre-crossing Kentucky-born violinist Tessa Lark and eclectic cellist Joshua Roman here at The Purchase PAC on Sunday, November 17. In anticipation, we posed a few questions to Edgar Meyer about his instrument, his work, and the upcoming performance.
It is probably safe to say that most people know less about the double bass than they do about other strings, like violin or cello. How did you come to choose the double bass as your instrument? What about the bass attracted you?
My father played bass and loved music more than anything. Through his example I identified with music and the bass from my earliest memories. I was actually quite old before I realized that it was a potentially awkward choice.
The last time you performed at The Purchase PAC, you performed as a soloist. How is the experience of performing as part of a trio different?
Bass alone is a highly limited proposition. Adding violin and cello adds the full range of tessitura and color, not to mention harmonic and contrapuntal possibilities that open up by multiple orders of magnitude. 1 + 2 = 500.
And a related question – how did your collaboration with Tessa Lark and Joshua Roman come about?
I have had these string trios laying around for three and a half decades that have not been thoroughly documented. I played with Tessa and Joshua separately in chamber music situations within a one- or two-year period preceding the pandemic and I knew that I had met the perfect musicians to record these pieces.
The program you will perform on the 17th includes a work by Bach, and three of your own compositions. Why the Bach? Are there similarities or synergies between your work?
Bach is my favorite musician. Starting the program with him is a little bit like saying a prayer hoping that we can in some small way aspire towards his example.
When you travel with your instrument, does it get its own seat on the plane?
My instrument is a treasure and it gets its own seat.
