Yo Yo Ma - Bach Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major

Yo-Yo Ma at the Proms 2015

[@omegawoomy4356]

Yo-yo ma looks like he’s possessed by Bach’s ghost, in a good way

[@jasongotcello]

The spirit of Bach lives in him lol

[@Tony-md7dr]

Some people here are criticizing Yo Yo's interpretation of the suites as being too 'exaggerated'. He is using the artistic license Bach has offered and Yo Yo has earned. People forget that Bach wrote these pieces as a one instrument orchestra, with three separate voices. Bach left no indications of how these pieces were to be played. Yo Yo accepts the technical and musical challenge. He pours his soul into this performance to coax the life from these pieces. He is a master.

[@benfrueh2750]

I agree.

[@jeremymcclellan474]

I actually, really love the draw on some of the low notes!

[@pabproductions9166]

You kinda sorta forgot that these pieces were court dances, not a one person concert. Bach composed for the royal court, not for individual musicians. While one can have their own interpretations of the music, it would be kind of odd to hear a court dance of the 18th century played in the style of Hindemith (this sounds more like Brahms but you get the picture).

[@elijahpark5344]

To note, Bach didn't write them as court pieces, but named them after court pieces. That's why it's a whole suite and not separate pieces. Of course, there's difference in intrepretation, but your write, in the fact that he plays them slightly romantically, which I personally like, due to the fact that they're court pieces.

[@jeremiahstone5285]

I think it's funny that it's considered perfectly acceptable to do your own unique version of a modern song; yet people get all snobby about "how you're supposed to play" a 300 year old piece that no one is exactly sure how the writer of the piece intended it to be played. I mean I'm sick of this effing snobbery, like, don't get me wrong, yo yo ma is an amazing player; however all these famous cellist are famous for playing the same pieces all these other cellists played that they didn't even write that are old; yet there are musicians out there playing their own original pieces that will probably never receive the same recognition

[@jontait2748]

00:10 Prelude 03:29 Allemande 07:26 Courante 10:39 Sarabande 14:37 Bourrée I & II 18:19 Gigue

[@pipyiu3518]

Thank you

[@matthewgonzalez2040]

Thank you

[@malendo8745]

thks a lot :)))

[@jasonhoward464]

Thanks!!

[@cellofellow5115]

A godsend

[@mellissadalby1402]

Yo Yo Ma is essentially a "soloist Cellist". Whatever you call it, whatever you think, he is a treasure and I fell privileged to listen to him play. His touch and his tone inspires me to pickup a Cello and attempt (however feably) to mimic his sounds.

[@lawrencegrinnell8652]

Heaven on Earth. As long as there is room for this, there is hope.

[@mbradley5683]

If Bach saw this, he would cry of joy😅

[@want2be420]

I think he'd also cry of laughter due to the commotion in the comments of some interpretations of his music have created some centuries later.

[@GamingPhantomOnSteam]

Well actually he died blind . . .

[@lindasegervall7793]

In this moment of worldwide crisis, let us unite behind the soulful wisdom of this beautiful piece of music.

[@fvckinfool101]

This pleases my sense of hearing very, very much. *We take it for granted* .

[@readmore8740]

His original creations are just as magnificent. In the '90s, he visited the Seattle Center and performed for free at the Mural Amphitheatre. T'is something I will treasure forever.

[@jonathansquires3923]

Loving this interpretation of Bach by the virtuoso...!

[@pippijane20]

What was it my teacher described this prelude as? Oh yes - old testament fire and brimstone!! So I played it thus! Its such a fabulous prelude. no 6 definitely my favourite.

[@thecanoem]

He makes it look easy! Beautiful interpretation

[@clararichterbk409]

Yes 🙌

[@adamrafferty]

I'm a composer - and I love hearing different interpretations of what I write. I can't imagine what objections good ol' JS would have to this magnificent performance. Someone wise once said "there's more than one way to do it."

[@starlucanyaart]

Honestly, i love Bach music, but i think that Yo Yo Ma play it too fast for me. I need a more profound and slow interpretation, like Enrico dindo did. Because for me Bach should be played slowly to hear the depths of the music. Technics or skills aren't everything. Interpretation are very important too. It's like art. You could make a very technical masterpiece, but without soul in it.

[@johngalt3969]

I love his passion, and always wonder what he sees when he looks away.... the music is too beautifull, he cant stand it.

[@johngalt3969]

you can feel his pulls... I absolutely love this man.

[@henryhess2062]

He is looking at the music in his head, he has it memorized which is why it looks like he's looking away from the music

[@henrygoering6377]

Just imagine the feeling of that audience, it must feel like an honor to play for such a huge group of people!

[@lemonslisterine1862]

No, it's an honor to be at the presence of Yo Yo Ma.

[@steveturner5519]

Pure honesty in composition and pure honesty in playing...thats what makes this great.. He plays with his body numbed by the music and cares not if he is playing to a packed house or in his garage...because the music would sound just the same...from the heart and soul..

[@paulhwang6787]

Great music: melody from the heavens, composed by a master and played by a genius who understands his soul! Bravo!

[@samanthacat1211]

Yo yo Ma is soaking into the piece of the music he was playing by his unique gifted music sensibilities. Yo Yo Ma earned recognitions of his music efforts and talents as Yo Yo Ma. 👍

[@brodycates8472]

You can see the amount of knowledge on his face almost

[@heaven7360]

I'm listening to this to help me forget I couldn't buy toilet paper, March 20 2020...everyone hoarding...everything. but at least for now I'm not dead, in hospital, or sick at home

[@uschilillifee1730]

And could you get the toilet paper??

[@dalemorris7881]

This is beautiful. A wonderful performance. I was slightly taken aback at first by Yo Yo Ma's rendition. Yet as I allowed myself to drown into it I came to enthusiastically enjoy this as he give a fresh and different perspective to these timely pieces of music. And, encountering, experiencing new and different perspectives in life is what makes it colorful. How dull life would be if we all felt, thought, spoke, sensed and performed alike. peace After Note: The emotional depth is astounding! Signed ~ a former classical pianist.

[@kjekelle96]

Bach would say that's not how he heard it when he wrote it but it's beautiful. As a casual appreciator I think he would be deeply moved that his music is still played and that people have made such outstanding interpretations of it.

[@ACCPhil]

It's very difficult to tell. The original music is barely legible and there is basically nothing in the way of tempo or expression markings. Anyone who has played the 'cello will tell you that this is the beauty of the six suites - you can make of them what you will. Saying that, I don't think my own efforts really contributed to the artistic canon.

[@ravenlyn6]

Also, the cello is quite different. He has had his Strad set up with gut strings as a Baroque instrument, and that's what Bach would have known. He probably wrote the Suites, or most of them, for a virtuoso cellist in the orchestra he put together from musicians who were let go from an orchestra in a different German principality.

[@ACCPhil]

@@ravenlyn6 I can't tell, but it does look like he may be playing the Davidov in the video. I' know he had that set up for Baroque music. What I'm not totally sure about is what bow technology was like in the time of Bach. Modern bows are light and you can throw them about. The really old bows, well they would've made movements like the Sarabande sound completely different as the player could get all four notes in the chord at once.

[@ravenlyn6]

@Mike Spitz yes, I know; I meant that Bach may have written it for a specific cellist he knew from the orchestra he was working with, to play as a solo piece.

[@DR-nh6oo]

ACCPhil all contributions appreciated!

[@gabisrluna]

He sees magic. He plays magic.

[@chenglu9876]

Simplez

[@janasmit8026]

what a legend.👏

[@amandac805]

Jana Smit I know right! Yo yo ma is amazing!!

[@andrewyang2620]

We

[@timefuture1218]

Jana Smit I’ve always been told I’m a great musician. My friend who tells me this is far better than me for one reason. She can look at music and very quickly know what the composers vision and how to phrase everything. It’s amazing. Much like this amazing man can do.

[@mikor7878]

after i heard this masterpiece, i start to believe deeply in god!

[@josbruls]

That's exactly what I feel when listening to the suites or attending a concert.

[@joseclaudiorodrigues7577]

Yo Yo Ma é simplesmente fantástico pois, além de excelente intéprete, o faz com emoção, elevado sentimento e... magia! Vê-lo e ouvi-lo é simplesmente uma maravilha!

[@inflames2112]

Remembering all that music in his mind no notes to look at = mind blown

[@Adam-lq1yn]

well you kinda memorize it after playing it hundreds of times. anyone could memorize it if they did that .

[@QQRUMBLE101]

These are the faces that only, a cellist who has played the bach cello suites from 1-6 in one sitting over 100,000 times can make :)

[@user-uv7pe9lt6c]

завораживает,невозможно торваться,чудо как проникновенно играет!🙏🌹🌷

[@ingapavlova9755]

AMAZING PERFORMER!!! BRAVO!!!

[@myself3209]

0:26 when you trie to wake up at morning

[@truthsings7]

Tru 😂 (rly like his sound tho)

[@luchilara2649]

Extraordinario además de gran intérprete toca con un sentimiento bellísimo que lo hace a uno gozar aún más esta maravillosa música Gracias YO Yo Ma me haces pasar momentos de gran felicidad 👏👏👍🙏🏻❤❤

[@anamariaerrecart1387]

Yo _ yo es mi preferido !!... Excelente interpretación !!...tecnica y sentimiento ensamblados !!!

[@clararichterbk409]

My to 😅

[@a.s.vanhoose1545]

He cheated. He looked at the pages of music in his head.

[@user-qp9nu8jt8v]

A. S. VanHoose lol

[@gliderfs621]

😂😂😂😂

[@gibsonbe1]

Great comment!

[@jbtechcon7434]

I can't get over the fact that he's so tiny he has to rest his violin on the floor.

[@trevorhyun8701]

Sparrow Playz r/whooosh

[@Mr-qt4xr]

This is absolutely tremendous.

[@jonnypyy9360]

what a lively interpretation

[@johngalt3969]

wonderful man

[@marlaboester3815]

I want to listen to him Live, in concert. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jackwakeman148]

Amazing! Kudos, too, to the sound reproduction; I could even hear Ma's fingers touching on the wood of the fingerboard.

[@kitsymitsykat6548]

But it’s still cool that you can hear it, and you can’t just magically stop the sound of your fingers hitting the fingerboard

[@rachelpage6810]

BRAVO, BRAVO!

[@pablorubin9638]

Amazing yo yo ma is great 😊

[@gaogaovideo]

In 7 years Vertuoso Ma got 662K viewers for this Bach Cello Suit No. 3 in C Major. It may be difficult to remember each note. I posted "Gao's Golden Waltz Mini Ballet" 2 days ago on youtube. You may search that 26 minutes play with birds and dancers 154 images.

[@raulquintero7334]

He is a master....

[@samuellabarthe175]

So impressive! He's a genius!

[@PushkaryovVsevolod]

Качественно. Сильно. Конгениально.

[@ibanreyna7750]

Súper chingon

[@nataliechua3371]

its legennnnnnnnndaryee

[@cittadinonessuno4393]

bravo!

[@Dindy_lover]

Wow. Please upload other movements.... Thanks a lot for share!

[@ZeacorZeppelin]

Fabulous

[@fujimusume32]

ヨーヨーマ大好き❤❤❤😘

[@nataliechua3371]

pretty radddddical dudesssssss

[@wojciechj.m.uminski2154]

Omg! He is so amazing! I wish I could play as good as him! (In future, some years[maby 10 or 15?] from today, of course. :)

[@pepperco100]

as WELL as him

[@lawrenceyang9959]

Great thumbnail!

[@mp220gaming]

what’s thing beside his glass of water

[@josesouza6889]

=Bach Cello Suite no.3 in C Major= •Prelúde• (0:11) •Allemande• (3:30) •Courante• (7:26) •Sarabande• (10:39) •Bourée l & ll• l (14:38) ll (16:08) •Gigue• (18:20) Do Grande Mestre Yo-Yo Ma.

[@whitewillowstrings]

He plays close to the finger board, something I thought was restricting my sound that I needed to fix. This makes me feel better :)

[@Sarkomedy]

For Bach that is fine to play close to the finger board considering the style of the suites. However, it is not advised to play close to the fingerboard for every piece. If you're playing Dvorak cello concerto, surely you will have to play closer to the bridge.

[@kitsymitsykat6548]

Wait you’re only supposed to do what when playing piano?

[@skull7598]

@@kitsymitsykat6548 no not necessarily

[@f7p1764]

he is feeling this no doubt👍

[@wijaya4565]

Yo Yo is going to have a concert in my city this month, too bad the ticket price is just too high for a student like me :'(

[@lotusbuds2000]

he has rosy cheeks ...shows how happy he is...

[@carlosvelez3556]

That's what moved me the most. A perfection integration of mastery and passion.

[@bogdanefremov9718]

10.43 sarabande

[@karenskochinski3291]

Let the music flow. We should each artist carve out the work according to their inspiration. We have no idea what the original performance was. Does that really matter 200 year from now on MARS? Your enjoyment is the point.

[@jackychen9161]

Anyone still listening to this is 2021? Also, at 11:54 you can hear someone coughing lol

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Yo Yo Ma's A String sounds quite thin, I wonder if he was using a 5 String Cello E String tuned down to A.

[@NT-kr6dn]

I can't believe he doesn't need to look at his fingers when he plays, impressive!

[@amandac805]

nick axxe many people know how to do that if they are well trained and if they practice well

[@amandac805]

nick axxe it is also very easy

[@kellyyu779]

Well, I don't need to either lol, in fact it distracts me, but I play violin

[@user-lp2xh1qk4x]

nick axxe lol you're not ment to look at your fingers it's unprofessional (trust me I play the Cello)

[@NT-kr6dn]

Well I mainly meant look at his instrument at all. Me personally, if there is no music, I make sure my bow is straight on the intrument

[@FaZeTartpack]

14:36

[@vir2652]

Te amo para siempre Yo-yo ma❤️❤️❤️

[@elizabethlinsay9193]

He did and He is.

[@zachytacky5465]

?

[@elizabethlinsay9193]

He did see it and he cried for joy.

[@MarioAst.]

Please can someone give me the bow of the courante?

[@topdog7962]

0:11 Prelude 😁😁😁😁😁

[@boglarkaandras6565]

❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉

[@adithompson199]

This is playing with soul. Enough said.

[@bogdanefremov9718]

Gigue - 18:20

[@Swordonator]

THANK YOU

[@aminayelles9560]

Same thoughts here , have to learn lol ...

[@alienhats7590]

Thank you! I was looking in the comments section for it! :)

[@lucijamusac532]

Sooo gooodd!

[@clairezang1003]

Anyone 2024

[@mikeock3164]

14:36 bouree

[@car_car1861]

Are bourrees 1 and 2 part of the 3rd suite? I need to know for a solo at school

[@ryanlee2922]

The bourrees in this video are.

[@nanukchen87]

all the coughing people. ugh.. anyway very nice performance! I really appreciate they way he plays it. It helps me focus so much better.

[@JohnTravena]

But you are the music while the music lasts.

[@johncurtis920]

Yo You Ma ain't playing that cello. No, he's not. He's making love to that thing. To beautiful effect, too, eh? (Somebody get the two of them a room with a microphone so all the rest of us can listen! Heh!)

[@jiraiya4852]

Plays like he's in a trance or stoned lol😄

[@amandac805]

Violin Sage God it is nothing to laugh about. He is just feeling the music.

[@jiraiya4852]

SuperAPC Girl yes yes do u not think I know that. Hmm? It's fun to get into music.

[@noplsb7141]

ganjalord 420

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

3:23 A C Major Chord.

[@willnzsurf]

🌴😎💯

[@willnzsurf]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooTVfJmJedx8n5I

[@anngibbs4222]

🌬️💨 NAMASTE 🙏⛩️💐🇺🇸☮️

[@pkrones]

What a curious variety of comments. I just some of Mischa Mausky performance of the same piece. It is so different! And no I admire Yo-Yo Ma a great deal, I really enjoy the interpretive character of Mausky performance more -- and the broad sororities. I am nowhere near an expert, but I can't see how one could say that yeah your mom has exaggerated or otherwise going Beyond what Bach intended. Somehow he seems closer to the rhythmic comma mathematical character of the composer. as for the way that he is physically when he performs, of course the performer is lost in a trance-like state, and most inside of the music, if he is going to give it a genuine performance. speaking just for myself, if I were to step back and be critical, I would lose the pure pleasure of being present with the music.

[@dankim3716]

Maisky is one dimensional and horrid as a bach interpreter. All you have to do is hear his vibrato.

[@pkrones]

Basso Continuo Excuse all my terrible typos. I am at war with my cell phone keyboard. having spent more time with the two performances, I totally agree with you. Maisky lacks subtlety. Ma is extraordinary. thanks for taking me back to this conversation. It is a good way to learn.

[@dankim3716]

PETER KRONES I would say yo yo ma isn't doing so hot in this one too. You have to remember this was his complete playthrough of the bach suites. Pau casals is the the best way to start, although the audio is pretty rough. Then move on to truls, rostropovich, starker, etc.

[@pkrones]

Basso Continuo Thank you. I'll undertake the adventure you suggest. And the process appreciate both the Bach and the cello more fully. You might enjoy this: bigthink.com/big-think-tv/the-spiritual-and-secular-joy-of-bach Have a Bach day!

[@youre100right3]

PETER KRONES I've listened to 3 different cello suite recordings by Yo-Yo Ma and this is arguably the worst. People think performers make 100% of their musical decisions consciously. That's simply not the case. Truth is Ma's technique is seriously compromised and that affects his musical decisions (random rubatos, control of tone, weird tempo changes that strangely correlate with the difficulty of the lines, etc.). I would also say Ma's back probably has some severe injuries. Leaning backwards is what cellists do when they get older and their back starts hurting from hours of sitting that ruin the natural curve of the spine.

[@hi2656]

3:05 Does he pluck the c-string with his left hand in order to prepare it for the bow so it responds faster? edited for time stamp

[@54baxers]

He does the same thing in Prelude of Suite No. 1 I think it's to "warm up" the C string

[@andrewanderson3016]

I’m not sure but I’m a cellist and I find the plucking the c string just as I’m playing it gets it to respond significantly faster than without plucking

[@Andy-no3zu]

18:00

[@RobManser77]

0:10 Prelude 3:29 Allemande 7:26 Courante 10:39 Sarabande 14:37 Bouree I 16:07 Bouree II 17:31 Bouree I da capo 18:19 Gigue

[@rasenks]

PERO QUE PRO XDXDXD

[@Xxxxxxxsx]

What do my fellow cellists think about his posture

[@user-user00]

he is coming

[@LordvonWaffy]

Looks like Rostropovich @ 9:07

[@cuisoh]

10:38

[@TechiJP]

Alguien viendo esto en diciembre de 2020

[@davidfernandez656]

Allemande 3:29

[@casto8146]

Gigue 18:19

[@d2r3krs33]

Got introduced to this by Godowsky's transcription for solo piano.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

I bet Yo Yo Ma could also play the Gehu which is a Chinese Variant of the Cello. After All Yo Yo Ma's parents were Chinese.

[@jamesdavis2399]

How interpretive jambi

[@21sungalute.42]

Listening to him, particularly playing this piece can take me elsewhere also it has a relentless edge.

[@TheFinalPlace]

Why there's ALWAYS someone coughing in the beginning? It's like there's something in the air

[@bigcheems9440]

Corona