Edgar Meyer: Quintet; Ned Rorem: String Quartet No. 4

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
We get so little from Rorem these days that whenever anything appears, it's worth noting. Here, his String Quartet 4 (1994) is more acerbic than anything he's done; it's also more emotionally expressive. In it, though, you can hear the neo-Romantic core of his being. Small themes and moments of melody emerge, despite the clamor. Meyer's contribution to this release is the very beautiful Quintet (1995), for string quartet and double bass (which gets several nice boogie-woogie passages all on its lonesome). The Meyer clearly has more humor than the Rorem, but the merits of both are worth your time. --Paul Cook

Edgar Meyer: Quintet; Ned Rorem: String Quartet No. 4, Music, David Finckel, Edgar Meyer, Ned Rorem, Edgar Meyer, Lawrence Dutton, Eugene Drucker, Philip Setzer, Chamber, Chamber Music, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic, Quartet for Four String Instruments

Average customer rating:

Great compositions

Brilliant

Pure, classic Edgar Meyers

One of the all-time-great sucker punches!

FINALLY!

Edgar Meyer: Quintet; Ned Rorem: String Quartet No. 4

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Meyer, Edgar | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Meyer & Bottesini Concertos

Edgar Meyer

Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites: Performed on Double Bass

Milhaud: Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra

Schubert: "Trout " Quintet

ASIN: B00000613O
Release Date: 1998-04-14

Tracks:

Quintet, For String Quartet And Double Bass: Movement I
Quintet, For String Quartet And Double Bass: Movement II
Quintet, For String Quartet And Double Bass: Movement III
Quintet, For String Quartet And Double Bass: Movement IV
String Quartet No.4: I. Minotaur; Very fast, ugly and relentless - Insistent - Cajoling - Pleading - Frantic
String Quartet No. 4: 2. Child Holding A Dove
String Quartet No. 4: 3. Acrobat On A Ball
String Quartet No. 4: 4. Still Life
String Quartet No. 4: 5. Seated Harlequin
String Quartet No. 4: 6. Head Of A Boy
String Quartet No. 4: 7. Basket Of Flowers
String Quartet No. 4: 8. Self Portrait
String Quartet No. 4: 9. Three Nudes
String Quartet No. 4: 10. Death Of Harlequin

Amazon.com

We get so little from Rorem these days that whenever anything appears, it's worth noting. Here, his String Quartet 4 (1994) is more acerbic than anything he's done; it's also more emotionally expressive. In it, though, you can hear the neo-Romantic core of his being. Small themes and moments of melody emerge, despite the clamor. Meyer's contribution to this release is the very beautiful Quintet (1995), for string quartet and double bass (which gets several nice boogie-woogie passages all on its lonesome). The Meyer clearly has more humor than the Rorem, but the merits of both are worth your time. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Great compositions.......2004-09-08

Edgar's piece is definitely good pieces and I would say that it is more enjoyable to the general public as well as most musicians. But I would disagree and say that Ned Rorem's piece is obviously stronger and evident that it is written by a professional composer in a neo-romantic style rather than a talented bass player with blue grass roots.

Brilliant.......2001-07-17

I couldn't agree more with the other reviews- this is a great disc. Buy it!

Pure, classic Edgar Meyers.......2000-08-01

I had the good fortune to hear this piece performed live at the Chamber Music Northwest festival a couple of years ago and it was fantastic. This recording does however do it justice. Edgar's base comes through so pure and clear and the Emerson quartet is at their award winning best. A terrific album for Chamber Music lovers, particularly double bass lovers.

One of the all-time-great sucker punches!.......2000-05-14

Edgar Meyer has become, in fairly short order, a crossover quadruple threat: Classical double-bassist with impeccable bona fides (Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center), chamber-grass bassist extraordinaire, crossover composer, and, here, (somewhat more) serious composer. And a man with a great sense of humor.

To grasp the humor, one need only read Meyer's booklet notes for his Quintet (for string quartet plus, of course, double bass): "The piece is in four movements. The first is a cross between theme and variation and variations on a ground bass. The second movement is moderate with some sense of humor. The third is slow and devoid of humor. The fourth is fast (and difficult)."

I'm not sure anyone will actually read these cryptic notes before putting the disc in the player (much less base a purchase decision on the notes). This is, after all, the raison d'étre of the reviewer. Permit me to serve that purpose briefly.

The first movement really sounds like... Is that Janacek I hear? Why, lordy be, it sure could be! (See the capsule summary at the top.) From there on out, it's pure Edgar at his best: Secure knowledge and use of what can be done on, with and for strings, chock full of his by-now well-known cross-rhythms, staggering (bordering on unbelievable) solo bass work, full of humor. And, oh! Did I mention the look back at Janacek?

The Rorem is O.K. Didn't buy it for that anyway. Get it for the Meyer; this man's on the cusp of greatness!

Bob Zeidler

FINALLY!.......1999-12-12

I am a double bassist and I also play on a string quintet. I just heard the most beautiful contemporary peace for string quintet! I was waiting a couple of months to listen the Edgar Meyer String Quintet. I was rewarded. The record is very good, even more played by the Emerson Quartet and the virtuose Edgar Meyer.And now it is the HIT PARADE on my sound sistem. It's great! Beautiful!. Congratulations.

Meyer: Quintet; Rorem: String Quartet No. 4

Average customer rating:

American Music by American Masters
Began a journey

Meyer: Quintet; Rorem: String Quartet No. 4

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Meyer & Bottesini Concertos
Uncommon Ritual
Appalachia Waltz / Ma, Meyer, O'Connor
Music for Two (Bonus DVD)

ASIN: B0000D7Z61
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Tracks:

Movement I
Movement II
Movement III
Movement IV
1. Minotaur: Ver Fast, Ugly And Relentless - Insistent - Cajoling - Pleading - Frantic
2. Child Holding A Dove: Infinitely Tender
3. Acrobat On A Ball: Very Fast
4. Still Life: Absolutely Strict
5. Seated Harlequin: Wistful
6. Head Of A Boy: Massive, Very Legato
7. Basket Of Flowers: Very Fast
8. Self Portrait: Always Frantic And Coarse (Cello)/Motionless, Cold, Removed (Others) - Horror And Indifference - A Bit Faster - Tempo I
9. Three Nudes: Like The Wind, Whispered And Slippery
Death Of Harlequin: Infinitely Tender

Customer Reviews:

American Music by American Masters.......2006-04-08

Edgar Meyer may not be a name on the lips of many classical music fans, but it should be. This soft-spoken composer and soloist with the double bass has a unique voice that capture much of the flavor of the Copland/Whitman/Ives/Faulkner view of the American sound. He is an accomplished soloist of a difficult instrument and has written a rather large body of work that incorporates the instrument he knows thoroughly.

The Quintet on this recording is an especially fine example of his creativity. Scored for string quartet with double bass the piece is at once plangenty beautiful in melody and complexly interesting in harmony. The Emerson Quartet is joined by Meyer himself for this performance and together they make a true cause for the potential repertoire populariety of this work (it would make a fine accompaniment with the 'Trout Quintet' Schubert!).

The Quartet by Ned Rorem is often played but rarely as well as the Emerson Quartet performs it here. Rorem is better know for his vocal songs than his instrumental writings, but this survey of his Quartet No. 4 should stir imaginations to explore his other chamber works.

In all, this excellent recording is a ray of very bright light from two gifted composers, and hearing the Meyer will doubtless lead the listener to seek out his many recordings of his works, including the much lauded 'Appalachia Waltz' with Yo-Yo Ma! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, April 06

Began a journey.......2005-02-07

I bought this CD as I had enjoyed another album by the Emerson String Quartet "Bach The Art of the Fugue." Although I am no musician I find their playing very clean and fresh -- lively. This CD played again with the same wonderful qualities. But in addition it introduced me to Edgar Meyer and Ned Rorem as composers. I love the Appalachian flavour in this music. I then discovered Edgar Myer team with the always expanding Yo-Yo Ma and now seek out Edgar Meyer more and more. I had owned this CD for about a year now and listen to it quiet often. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have. dsb

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Metal Cares

Schumann, Liszt & Chopin: Piano Works

Nothing is Static

Ocean Odyssey

Bone Box [Import]

The Best of Brook Benton [Import]

Sweet Smell of Success (2002 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

The Flag Series-Austria

Pushing the Senses [Limited Edition] [Import]

Spanish Divas [Import]

Straight from the 6th Ward [Explicit Lyrics]

Ponle Ojo

Reventon Norteno: Los Lobos del Norte

Handful of Aces

1927-1938