Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1993

CITATIONS appreciation. His intuitive instinct did no t diminish, his analytical mind sharpene d and his interpretative power matured. In his own words, Ma said of the education he received at Harvard, 'It makes me more precise. Rather than making sweeping statements, I have to support my argument.' Ma, whose technical mastery of the cello wa s accomplished early in his teens, has now brought his intellectual gifts to bear on his artistic impulse. This rare, creative and exciting synthesi s of analytical, artistic and virtuoso skills burst upon the world stage when Yo-Yo Ma won the Avery Fisher Prize in 1978 and, with it, the opportunity to perform with the major orchestras in North America. The result was electric. He lit up the classical music world lik e a comet. Unlike a comet, Yo- Yo Ma has stayed in the firmament. His playing has been compared to Orpheus taming the wi ld animals with his lyre, to a romantic poet wooin g the ladies with his muse. Benjamin Zander, conductor o f the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, paid h im the supreme tribute when he said the orchestra 'playe d better for three months ' after performing Dvor á k's Cello Concerto with Yo-Yo Ma. It is no wonder, therefore, that Ma gets many eager invitations for return visits. The cellist's mastery of his instrument is so complete that it seems there is nothing he cannot play, nothing he cannot do. One moment, with hair flying and perspiration dripping, he can attack the cello with savage gusto. Another moment, with eye-lids drooping, he can go into trance-like meditation and conve y to his audience the lyricism of anticipation in the silence between two waves. He can be animal and poet; he can be savagely poetic and make faces at Emanuel Ax at the same time. The master cellist conveys, through his person an d his playing, warmth, humour, elan, elegance, good grace and profundity. He exudes, abov e all, exuberance. At a time when classical musicians seldom smile to camera, let alone laugh—for some reason they have the habit of staring into the distance from record covers — Yo-Yo Ma has charmed his way into the hearts of millions by appearing t o enjoy himself and the music he is making. Th e publication Current Biography makes a special poin t of describing Ma as having 'a highly mobile face', mobile as opposed to inscrutable, which, one has to assume, is an important point to Americans. Whatever music he is playing, Yo-Yo Ma has the knack of making it sound fresh. This is the synthesis of incredible technique with the mos t careful thought process, for Ma's intellect and virtuosity infor m every piece of music he plays. It is this creative fusion which makes his cello playing both touching and exciting for his admirers, although his matinee idol goo d looks also help. This means his performance can be enjoyed at two levels instead of one, the audio as well as the visual. Ma plays dangerously but never loses control. The New York Times music critic Donal Henahan 46th Congregation 10