Edwin Barker
Bass
Longtime Boston Symphony bassist heard here in Schubert's "Trout" Quintet.
In short
Edwin Barker appears as the double bass player in a chamber performance of Schubert's Piano Quintet in A major, D.667, the "Trout" Quintet, at Tanglewood. The bass is what makes this piece unusual: most piano quintets use a second violin, but Schubert swapped it for a double bass, giving the ensemble a darker, rounder low end under the piano and strings.
What to listen for
In the "Trout" Quintet, the bass does not carry the tunes so much as it holds the floor beneath them, adding weight to the piano's left hand and giving the cello a partner in the low register. Listen for the fourth movement, a set of variations on Schubert's own song "Die Forelle" ("The Trout"), where each instrument gets a turn to shine while the bass keeps the harmony grounded and occasionally slips into its own melodic moment. A good bass player in this piece balances presence and restraint, audible enough to change the color of the sound but never covering the piano or violin.
Written by OrchestraFinder, reviewed September 2026.