Song Exploder

Yo-Yo Ma - Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major

Dec 20, 2018
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Yo-Yo Ma's Early Start

  • Yo-Yo Ma first learned Bach's Prelude at four years old on a quarter-sized cello.
  • By age 16, he had already played at Carnegie Hall, showing early dedication and talent.
INSIGHT

Bach's Suites as Radical and Open

  • Bach's solo cello suites were radical in a time when cello mostly played background lines.
  • The music lacks detailed instructions, making each performance uniquely interpretative.
ANECDOTE

Casals' Discovery Story

  • Pablo Casals discovered Bach's cello suites at age 13 in a Barcelona bookstore.
  • Without recordings or teachers, he had to interpret the music solely from the notes on paper.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app