Customer Reviews

Yo-Yo Ma: Complete Cello Suites - Inspired By Bach

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This extaordinary 3 DVD set presents Yo-Yo Ma in six films inspired by J.S. Bach. Along with T.Bando(Kabuki actor), J.M. Messervy (Garden designer), Mark Morris, (dance choreographer) J.Torvill & C. Dean (ice dancers), A. Egoyan and other film makers, Yo-Yo Ma explores the passion of Bach's solo Cello Suites.
Music Garden follows Ma and Garden Designer Messervy as they plan a Boston garden inspired by Bach. Sound of the Carceri shows Ma exploring with music, the prison etchings of the famous Italian architect, Piranesi.
In Struggle for Hope, Ma collaborates with Kabuki actor Banbo to blend Kabuki and Bach's Fifth Suite. Six Gestures features ice dancers Torvill and Dean and, of course, Bach and Yo-Yo Ma.
In Falling Down Stairs Mark Morris choreographs a dance based on Bach's Third Suite. Sarabande, my favorite, displays Yo-Yo Ma at his best as he performs Bach's Fourth Suite.
This incredible collection of DVDs features the renowned cellist as he performs Bach in unique and innovative ways. I am reminded of G. Gould and his interpretation of Bach and am astounded how each injects his own philosophy and passion into these pieces.

This is an example of the transcendency of J. S. Bach. I have read various critical reviews of this DVD and actually agree with some of what is said. Truly I did not know what I was purchasing--actually thougth it was all Yo Yo and Bach, but it is more like a documentary. Fortunately there are intact performances of each suite contained in this lengthy DVD. The menu screen is very confusing and difficult to navigate--that is the only negative I find. Otherwise I see no harm, and only inspiration in comparing and performing Bach's music to our surroundings, architecture, and the visual arts. Yes, Yo Yo could have used other examples for comparison, but I do not disagree with the validity of what is stated--some reviewers have called his integrations random, I respectfully disagree.
The perfomances are clean and there are obvious changes of scenery during certain perfomances that required dubbing. This was done flawlessly and with taste. Overall this was fun and transcendent. I suggest listening to other artists perform these suites. Casals, Rostropovich, and Lynn Harrell all have recordings, and each are different.

This series has great subtle humor mixed with beautiful music played wonderfully by Yo-Yo Ma. I've never known much about Yo-Yo Ma but after watching this series I've decided that he's probably a really cool guy! :)

6 short movies by different film makers each corresponding to 1 of the 6 suites. I loved hearing the cello suites (I had not listened to them all before), although each was separated into the different parts/dances and there is dialogue or other items interspersed between them. I will probably buy the CDs some time. I found the direction the movies/projects took very diverse and interesting, and there was one I did not particularly like. I found the sound of the dialogue in the 5th movie a little too quiet, but that may be deliberate as it has a very visual theme. The 6th with Torvill and Dean is simply stunning. Yo-Yo comes across as such a deep person as well as a musical genius. I am very glad I bought these, and I will be watching them over again... There is some CD-ROM content on the discs which is OK, but to me it was a minor addition - the different interpretations of the suites put into film is fascinating.

My wife first saw this series on TV and loved it, subsequently I bought the DVD series so our whole family could watch it together. It's really a well made series.

Obviously the reason I bought the DVDs is to listen to Ma's cello performance. It is very annoying that the video is always a few seconds lagging behind the sound. I need to reverse/forward and then pause for a while to get it synchronised, only to find that the video starts to misbehave again after a few minutes.