Appassionato, Cellist Yo-Yo Ma

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Appassionato

Editorial Reviews

Any new compilation CD starring Yo-Yo Ma is certain to please. This master of the cello takes the listener through so many types of music that the ear and mind never tire. The present selection is billed as a sort of "musical autobiography," and, indeed, it gives us a tour of Ma's musical life. The Silk Road Project is represented by Zhao's "Swallow Song," with its eerie, fascinating soundscape (specially re-recorded for this CD). We also accompany Ma on his excursions into the world of the baroque cello with Vivaldi or of the Finnish folk song (by Mamiya, a first recording). There are Gershwin's languid Second Prelude, with its intimations of the song "Summertime," and an all-new recording of a nine-minute heart-breaker by Astor Piazzolla ("Soledad"). Ma also gives us more familiar Brahms, Franck, and Saint-Saens. The compilation's mellow 65 minutes offer relaxing, beautiful music, all exquisitely played. Ma is joined by the best: Emanuel Ax, Kathryn Stott, John Williams (who plays piano on his own "Going to School" from Memoirs of a Geisha), Isaac Stern, and Claudio Abbado. This is a veritable Who's Who of superb musicians. --Robert Levine

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma's latest CD is the romantically themed Appassionato, which has been billed as his "musical autobiography." Released just last week, the album is already one of the most popular downloads on iTunes.

Appassionato includes many previously released selections as well as some newly recorded material representing composers from Gershwin to Vivaldi. Ma says he chose the individual works on the album "to represent various aspects of love."

Since 1998, Ma has been immersed in the Silk Road Project, exploring music from across the ancient trade route from Europe through Asia.

Appassionato