Yo-Yo Ma: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Aug. 17, 2018 | Tom Huizenga -- Why did Laurence Olivier return so often to Shakespeare's Othello? Why did Ansel Adams keep photographing the Grand Canyon? Obsessed or awestruck, artists revisit great inspirations because they believe there is yet another story to tell – about life, about themselves.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma brought his great inspiration, and in turn part of his own life story, to an enthusiastic audience packed around the Tiny Desk on a hot summer day. Ma is returning, yet again, to the Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach, a Mount Everest for any cellist. He has just released his third studio recording of the complete set and is taking the music on a two-year, six-continent tour. Ma's first recording of the Suites, released in 1983, earned him his first Grammy.

Ma has played the music for 58 years and along the way it's become something of a practical guide to living, pulling him through hardships and celebrating times of joy. "It's like forensic musicology," Ma told the Tiny Desk audience. "Embedded in the way I play is actually, in many ways, everything I've experienced."

The undulating "Prelude" from the Suite No. 1 was the very first music Ma ever played. He was four years old. The soulful "Sarabande" from the Sixth Suite has served dual purposes, Ma explained. "I've played this piece both at friends' weddings, and unfortunately also at their memorial services." And the exuberant "Gigue," from the Third Suite, with its toe-tapping beat, reminds us that Bach was far from a stuffed wig. Such is this sturdy, versatile and benevolent music, offering a full range of the human condition.

And then there is Ma. Certainly one of the most brilliant cellists of modern times, he's also a thoughtful, curious humanitarian, with an endless thirst to understand, celebrate, and connect disparate cultures of the world.

He's also a true mensch. As soon as he arrived at our office to play, Ma unpacked his cello – a famed 1712 Stradivarius – and immediately handed it over, with his bow, and said, "Here play something." It didn't matter that I'd never held a cello. It was just another one of Yo-Yo Ma's warm and welcoming gestures, another way to open up music to anyone and everyone.

Set List
J.S. Bach: "Prelude (from Suite No. 1 for Solo Cello)"
J.S. Bach: "Sarabande (from Suite No. 6 for Solo Cello)"
J.S. Bach: "Gigue (from Suite No. 3 for Solo Cello)"

Credits
Producers: Tom Huizenga, Kara Frame; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kara Frame; Photo: Samantha Clark/NPR.

[daedalus_v]

Yo-Yo Ma is a world-renowned musician, he's played for presidents and royalty, he's won 18 Grammys, a Peace Ambassador for the UN, and I still feel like he'd give up his seat on the subway.

[bitterbum]

"Oh so you work at NPR? What's your day like?"

"Well, Yo-Yo Ma stopped by during lunch"

[TropicIslandMusic]

"Its not painful to learn something if you do it incrementally" I always use the metaphor of cake to describe learning a piece of music to students "cut it into slices and enjoy - or it'll make you sick"

[freedomofsoundexpressionc]

I never had a father but I'm now going to picture him as this man

[johnsongtf]

Technology is so mysterious, imagine how much it would have cost your grandparents to watch a man with 58 years of experience play the cello? Now there’s literally a man with 58 years of cello experience in our pockets.

[iriereviews]

"It's not painful to learn something if you learn it incrementally."

[tomitstube]

not bad, he's probably got a future in music.

[yoGELLY]

"Like yesterday, but a little different" yes the essence of life

[germaincls]

From Mac Miller to Yo-Yo Ma, NPR, you are the best thing that happened in my youtube life.

[gabriellateresasc]

anyone else's first time hearing Yo-Yo Ma's voice?

[cellospot]

Yo-Yo Ma played at a concert with a meet-and-great gala dinner afterwards. I went to that and brought along my favorite CD recording of his to get his signature. At the end of the dinner, people were leaving and he was wandering around. I went up to him, got his signature, and told him that I was also a cellist and he was one of my greatest inspirations and asked for his handshake. Instead of a handshake, he gave me a big hug. That made my day for years. He's just such a sweet and humble man!

[gwen]

He definitely practices 40 hrs a day. (Edit: This is a Twoset reference, see comments below before coming for me. This is why we can't have nice things.)

[jcims]

The world has been kissing this guy's ass for 40+ years and he still seems down to earth and humble. Almost as unbelievable as his mastery of the music. And as always I'll applaud the engineers of Tiny Desk for bringing it to us so beautifully...what an absolute jewel.

[sanuvafruit]

From this performance alone we can see why Yo-Yo Ma always outshines his lesser known twin brother Yo Ma-Ma

[caveatlector]

No hint of condescension. Just wisdom and humility. He's my new favourite person.

[totallynoclue]

I saw him live once and his passion was...palpable. You could feel the notes in your bones and almost taste it in the air. It felt like I held my breath for the whole performance bc I was afraid to disturb it in any way. Then he thanks the crowd and he seemed like the gentlest and most joyful musician.

[ahhzeeahh]

i like how he talks to us like a dad hes almost tryna teach us life lesson... and i ACTUALLY dont want to skip ahead such a cool guy

[Rispolikid]

Has anyone mentioned how incredible he looks for his age?

[DwightJurling]

I like the image of 58 years flashing through his head when he plays the prelude.

[snovakattack]

My Grandma died last year, and she loved listening to Yo-Yo Ma. We played his music for her all the time, especially at the very end. I'm so grateful for the joy he has brought to our family, even in times of grief. I believe he helped her leave this world with a peaceful heart.