Yo-Yo Ma

From the Artist's Choice line of albums on Hear Music comes this record filled with the works of music deemed most important to Yo-Yo Ma. There's a good deal of variety to be heard here, but the key to the whole is the concept of the virtuoso. The performers and recordings chosen are the best of their classes by a long shot. The album opens with Pablo Casals, perhaps the finest cellist of the last century (with Ma being the main competitor for the title), performing a piece from Bach's Cello Suites, which became a signature endeavor for Ma. Dave Brubeck is chosen as an innovator and Edith Piaf stands as a representative of Ma's childhood in Paris. The elegant Arthur Grumiaux (also a violin teacher for Ma's sister in childhood) performs a Mozart piece, paving the way for the album to turn to a more contemporary tone. Vocal virtuoso Bobby McFerrin makes an appearance, as does Astor Piazzolla with the classic Milonga del Angel, which would become a huge influence on Ma, leading to the Soul of the Tango album. Fiddler Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer bring a piece of Nashville with a touch of virtuosity, representing the impetus for the Appalachia Waltz album. Leon Fleisher provides a piece of Beethoven and Fritz Wunderlich is chosen as an operatic master. Jazzer Stephane Grappelli puts in a number, as does the Juilliard String Quartet, one of the stops made by Ma on his musical ascent. A nice piece from The Magic Flute is included, leading into Lalo's Symphonie espagnole as performed by violin virtuoso Isaac Stern. James Taylor makes a short appearance as a representative of deceptively complex music (that Ma has played on), and Ma's primary cello teacher Leonard Rose's best record is added for both mastery and nostalgia. The album finishes with the ultimate virtuoso, Glenn Gould, performing the Aria from the Goldberg Variations. As all the performers here are from the top of their respective leagues, it would be terribly difficult to criticize the album on such grounds. Its coherence is questionable with the stylistic changes, but there is a quiet link between all of the works in both the abilities of the performers as well as the moods of the works. It can stand as a whole and is highly recommended for fans of Ma, but, moreover, for fans of classical and classical crossover music. ~ Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide