This compilation of music by Dvorak played by Yo-Yo Ma is just beautiful. Ma seems to understand just when Dvorak wants to be super-Romantic and sappy and when he is in fact being merely his usual expressive self. The former comes into bloom with the Slavonic Dance, in which he's accompanied by Itzhak Perlman and "Songs My Mother Taught Me," with Patricia Zander at the piano. But when it comes to revealing Dvorak as one of the most insightful and truly passionate of composers, with a particular understanding of the cello, Ma's playing of the B minor Concerto (under Kurt Masur, with the New York Philharmonic), the latter description comes into play. Ma gets every nuance out of the cello, and the way in which Masur, for instance, leads the winds against the cello at the start of the 2nd movement is just gorgeous. "Klid" ("Silent Woods") is given a deeply affecting reading as well, under Seiji Ozawa. 2004 is the 100th anniversary of Dvorak's death; this CD is fine tribute. --Robert Levine
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
YoYo Ma Dvorak Album:
YoYo Ma is YoTo Ma. When it comes Chello, YoYo Ma and Dvorak combo cannot be beaten if you appreciate Chello concerto. The recording sounds bit quiet but otherwise it's another success by YoYo.
Great artist bad mix:
Yo Yo Ma has the perfect tender and romantic feel for Dvorac. Unfortunately he is not a powerful performer. He is relatively subdued and that is okay with this music. The fault on the very first selection, the concerto, is the recording. It is though he is in the middle of the orchestra playing with everyone else. There is very little presence given to him by the engineer in the mix down. This is very unfortunate. The listener must pick out the lead performer.
I used to 'bury' musicians when they... more info
fabulous:
3 of my friends immediately ordered it after I played it for them. It is a great cd.
May he keep playing forever:
The range of Yo Yo Ma's musical offerings is awesome. Is there nothing he's not willing to play--and do so beautifully! The richness of this recording is wonderful on a dark December day.
Tracks:
Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104
Klid (Silent woods) for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68, No. 5
Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor, Op. 72
Humoresque No. 7 in G-flat Major, Op. 101
Songs My Mother Taught Me from Gypsy Melodie, Op. 55
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