After a long week, I had almost forgotten about seeing world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Saturday at Royce Hall and even thought about abandoning my amazingly student-discounted tickets in order to study for my chemistry midterm. But at the last minute, I decided to pursue culture rather than mass spectronomy.
But worries about my failing grade subsided ““ Ma’s stage performance was overwhelmingly mesmerizing; his mastery of the cello actually suspended my heart.
Saturday evening in Royce Hall demonstrated why Ma is considered the instrumentalist of the century.
The unforgettable performance ran smoothly and quickly. The musical pieces ranging from Schubert’s Arpeggione in A minor to Shostakovich’s Sonata in D minor, Opus 40 to Franck’s Sonata in A major for violin and piano, expertly balanced fast-paced lighter pieces with slower, heavier ones.
Ma and British pianist Kathryn Stott captured the audience’s attention for almost two hours with classical pieces that are so oft-forgotten in this era of popular music.
The pure genius, the great chemistry and perfect timing inspired full-body chills.
With a subtle movement of his hand, Ma would signal to Stott, and together they would overlay their performances with nuanced fluidity. The deliberate pauses integrated into the music and in between pieces created a sense of suspense; audience members actually let out gasps as Ma and Stott suddenly delved into their pieces with fervor.
Certainly a high point of the evening was Ma’s rendition of Piazzolla’s Le Grand Tango. The sheer energy and passion of Ma’s incredible movements, sharpness and enthusiasm transcend words.
The smoothness of the piece, with Ma’s melodies blending faster and slower beats, showcased his paradoxical performance. Ma incorporated a machine-like perfection with balanced, graceful, emotional interjections and fierce outbursts of passion.
It is a struggle to define the “je ne sais quoi” that Ma exacts on his pieces; he created another realm in Royce Hall, one that was heart-achingly breath-taking. Just breath-taking.
““ Amber Bissell
E-mail Bissell at abissell@media.ucla.edu.