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Unbelievable May 03, 2008
Yo-Yo Ma is one of the greatest cello players of all times and he's playing Bach. Is there really anything left to say? I think not :)
intimate inducement of introspection Apr 26, 2008
I admit that I had initial misgivings about this product in light of the widespread renown of Mstislav Rostropovich. But I did some comparison, courtesy of YouTube clips which had surprising sound quality. I came to prefer the more personal and intimate rendition consistent with Yo-yo Ma's style. I suppose, at the end of the day, there is no point arguing taste. The qualities that make Yo-yo Ma's playing uniquely his own just happen to lend themselves well to my personality and current state of mind, which does not detract from the greatness of Rostropovich on the cello.
With regard to Bach's work itself, the Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, I am in awe. I have heard parts of this set at one time or another. Perhaps the most famous would be the first movement prelude of suite no. 1 in G major, having been used for TV ads and such. If you are a fan of Bach, this set is further demonstration of his versatility and genius. The sound quality is excellent, having a mild reverberation, which perfectly complements the cello as an instrument, Yo-yo Ma as a performer, and the suites themselves as stunning examples of music of any age.
...those hard to find items Apr 07, 2008
this one's for me - couldn't find in the big record stores- yay amazon. quick delivery, good price, great condition
12 of 16 found the following review helpful:
JS Bach & YoYoMa - The Master played by a Master Apr 03, 2008
YoYo Ma awoke an entire generation to Bach with this recording. Listening to Ma play these works is truly a stunning thing.
Bach is THE master who demands attention and requires another master to play his work correctly and with emotion. In the hands of a technician, Bach can be all dried up and too mathematical. In the hands of a master such as Yo Yo Ma, the concept of the Master living forever through his music becomes true. Bach is all about math. But, with only the math and none of the humanity, Bach can be cold-- and that would be an appalling thing.
Bach's music is about the glorification of God and humanity and only the combination of technique, mathematics, and emotion can bring it alive and make it true. Bach is very challenging for every player on every instrument. Yo Yo Ma will forever be remembered for this 2 disc set. He introduced Bach to a new generation and made Bach seem cool again. But Bach has always been cool and always will be.
Yo Yo Ma's Cello Suites set the standard for every Bach cello recording before or after, for better or ill. But this is no disservice to Mr. Ma. It is rather an acknowledgment of the power of his performance, the brilliance of his technique, and his very special and rare ability to bring the master alive and off the page to enrapture new audiences.
Yo Yo Ma has done the world a service and Bach would certainly concur, I think.
I had a friend in Massachusetts who lived next door to Yo Yo Ma. My friend could hear him practicing the cello at all hours. I said, "Oh how lucky you are!" He replied, "Well, it gets really aggravating after a while-- he's playing all through the night."
I kindly replied, "You're a f****** moron."
What a brilliant set this is by Yo Yo Ma. Anything that advances Bach into the public consciousness as this recording did and still does is a service to humanity. Superb.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Great Ma Performance Mar 09, 2008
This is a great performance by Ma but may not be to the liking of traditionalists of Bach. I do not play the Cello so I can not comment on the technical aspect of it all but there is great energy and attack on this recording. It is quite different from other recordings of these suites but they all seem to be different. The preference is very personal unless you play and can be critical of the technique of the performer. This was recorded via DSD stream [high sampling rate] and mixed down for 16 bit CD. I had to take a star away for the recording quality which will not be a problem for most listeners on 'normal' stereo equipment. My system is resolving an annoying background noise present on several tracks which I can only describe as distant traffic outside of the recording studio. [This does not seem possible since Ma does not record in a garage in Manhattan] Like a large garbage truck off in the distance on Monday morning when your head is still on the pillow and the cans are still in the garage. It's quite unexplainable and sent me outside to look the first time I listened to the CD since the sound quality of the recorded dump truck is very good. I am sure the sound engineer heard it at some point and maybe decided not to tell Ma, or thought it added to his interpretation of Bach's Suites. Shame on him. The CD overall is still worth the price just based on Ma's performance because you rarely get a perfect recording ever anyway. I am probably just too critical on what I here. Cheers
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