Christian Meaas Svendsen

Tip! *2025 stock* Body of Sound, Body of Music is Norwegian bass player Christian Meaas Svendsen’s second solo bass album. The entirety of the recording is based around a framework which Christian calls bass, body, bows: An ongoing introspection in how he can use all of his instrument and all of his body without any external preparations other than the traditional bow, albeit usually several of them at the same time. This is the basis. Furthermore, the recording is an investigation in bringing the listener closer to Christian’s physical body when playing his instrument.

To achieve this, he has come up with a microphone set-up consisting of one microphone taped to each of his hands, one microphone capturing his voice, one microphone placed over his heart, and in addition a stereo pair which captures the room. These input sources have made it possible to shape the performance in the mixing process, sometimes bringing the listener intimately close, other times far away. It has also opened up for possibilities in experimentation in the stereo field, where the left and right hand is clearly separated, giving the listener the impression that they are standing exactly where Christian was standing when the recording found place. The set-up also gives him the freedom to be the player that he is – a player whose physicality is an integral part of his music.