Cellist Matt Brubeck Makes Henry Mancini Anything but Easy Listening

Yo-Yo Ma, along with his cello, which he'll be playing. He's the most famous contemporary cellist and perhaps the most revered in the U.S. His best-known recordings are of the Bach Solo Cello Suites, which he's recorded three times - in 1983, 1997 and 2018. He's performed with orchestras around the world, but lots of people who pay no attention to classical music know Yo-Yo Ma because he's performed in so many different settings.

Ellen Pfeifer, music critic for The Boston Herald, reviews the brief career of cellist Jacqueline Du Pré, who died on Monday from the effects of multiple sclerosis. Her playing was a described as a mixture of elegance and ferocity. When the disease struck at the age of 26, it cut short one of the most promising solo careers in all classical music.

The renowned soloist says the nature of his instrument demands that he be flexible about also playing supportively in ensemble settings. He talks about how the death of his parents, both of whom were musicians, contributed to his artistic development.