In addition to recordings of the standard classical repertoire, Ma has recorded a wide variety of folk music, such as American bluegrass music, traditional Chinese melodies, the tangos of Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla, and Brazilian music. He has also collaborated with artists from a diverse range of genres, including Bobby McFerrin, Carlos Santana, Chris Botti, Diana Krall, James Taylor, Miley Cyrus, and Sting.
Ma has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2006. He has received numerous awards, including the Avery Fisher Prize in 1978, The Glenn Gould Prize in 1999, the National Medal of Arts in 2001, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, Kennedy Center Honors in 2011, the Polar Music Prize in 2012, and the Birgit Nilsson Prize in 2022. He was named as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2020. Aside from English, Ma is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and French.
Ma's primary performance instrument is the Davidov cello, made in 1712 by Antonio Stradivari
Ma's mother, Marina Lu, was a singer, and his father, Hiao-Tsiun Ma, was a violinist, composer and professor of music at Nanjing National Central University (now relocated in Taoyuan, Taiwan; predecessor of the present-day Nanjing University and Southeast University). They both migrated from the Republic of China to France during the Chinese Civil War. Ma's sister, Yeou-Cheng Ma, played the violin and piano professionally before obtaining a medical degree from Harvard and becoming a pediatrician. The family moved to New York City when Ma was seven.
From the age of three, Ma played the drums, violin, piano, and later viola, but settled on the cello in 1960 at age four. When three-year-old Yo-Yo said he wanted a big instrument, his father went to see Etienne Vatelot, a foremost violin maker in Paris who, after a chat, lent him a 1/16th cello. He jokes that his first choice was the double bass due to its large size, but he compromised and took up the cello instead. When his father realized that Yo-Yo was ready for a better teacher, a well-known cello instructor, Mme Michelle Lepinte, was selected. He began performing before audiences at age five and played for presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy when he was seven. At age eight, he appeared on American television with his sister in an event introduced by Leonard Bernstein. In 1964, Isaac Stern introduced them on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and they performed the Sonata of Sammartini. He attended Trinity School in New York but transferred to the Professional Children's School, where he graduated at age 15. He appeared as a soloist with the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra in a performance of Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations.
Ma studied at the Juilliard School at age 19 with Leonard Rose and attended Columbia University, but dropped out. He later enrolled at Harvard College. Prior to entering Harvard, Ma played in the Marlboro Festival Orchestra under the direction of cellist, conductor and Ma’s childhood hero Pablo Casals. He spent four summers at the Marlboro Music Festival after meeting and falling in love with Mount Holyoke College sophomore and festival administrator Jill Hornor during his first summer there in 1972.
Even before that time, Ma gained fame and performed with many of the world's major orchestras. He has also played chamber music, often with pianist Emanuel Ax, with whom he has a close friendship from their days at Juilliard. Ma received his bachelor's degree in anthropology from Harvard in 1976, and in 1991 received an honorary doctorate from Harvard.
Yo-Yo Ma has been referred to by critics as "omnivorous" and possesses an eclectic repertoire. In addition to numerous recordings of the standard classical repertoire, he has recorded Baroque pieces using period instruments; American bluegrass music; traditional Chinese melodies, including the soundtrack to the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; the tangos of Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla; Brazilian music, recording traditional and contemporary songs composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Pixinguinha; a collaboration with Bobby McFerrin (where Ma admitted to being terrified by McFerrin's improvisation); and the music of modern minimalist Philip Glass, in such works as the 2002 Naqoyqatsi.
Ma is known for his smooth, rich tone, soulful lyricism, and virtuosity. He released a cello recording of Niccolò Paganini's Caprice No. 24 for solo violin and Zoltán Kodály's Solo Sonata.
On May 1, 2019, he performed at Paranal Observatory in the Atacama desert. He said that his interest in astronomy motivated him to visit and perform there.
Ma's albums include recordings of cello concertos, sonatas for cello and piano, works for solo cello, and a variety of chamber music. He has also recorded in non-classical styles, notably in collaboration with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Carlos Santana, Chris Botti, Chris Thile, Diana Krall, James Taylor, Miley Cyrus and Sting.
Sorrow
Yo-Yo Ma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I know that sorrow train is coming down
Down on me, gonna roll right over my poor heart again
And I hope she’s doing fine because my hearts been doing time
While she is free
If I had wings they were to fly her through the air
Now I know that heavy load is hard to bear
Down on me, weighing down my poor heart once againAnd I hope she’s doing fine because I’ll never touch the sky
While she is free
Yesterday a hummingbird was busily
Singing songs of love I never thought would be
Next to me, landing on my poor heart once again
Now I know she’s doing fine because she’s always on my mind
While she is free
Always felt like my feet were off the ground
Now I know that sorrow train is coming down
Down on me, gonna roll right over my poor heart again
And I hope she’s doing fine because my hearts been doing time
While she is free
And I hope she’s doing fine because I’ll never touch the sky
While she is free
Now I know she’s doing fine because she’s always on my mind
While she is free
The lyrics of Yo-Yo Ma's "Sorrow" convey a profound sense of longing, heartache, and unrequited love. The singer expresses a feeling of being disconnected from reality, as if their feet have never truly touched the ground. This imagery sets the stage for the emotional turmoil that follows, as the impending "sorrow train" approaches, symbolizing the inevitable pain and sadness that is about to overwhelm the singer's heart. There is a sense of resignation and acceptance in the face of this impending emotional storm.
The singer acknowledges the weight of their emotions, likening it to a heavy load that is difficult to bear. They allude to a past relationship that has left their heart feeling imprisoned and burdened. There is a bittersweet sense of hope and longing as they wish for the person they love to be doing well, even though their own heart is suffering. The mention of wings symbolizes a desire for freedom and escape, yet the realization that such freedom may be unattainable.
A moment of fleeting joy is described when a hummingbird, a symbol of love and beauty, graces the singer with its presence. This momentary respite from sorrow is juxtaposed with the ongoing pain in the singer's heart. Despite this moment of solace, thoughts of the person they love linger constantly in their mind, highlighting the enduring nature of their feelings and the longing for connection.
The repetition of certain phrases throughout the song, such as "While she is free" and "While she's always on my mind," underscores the singer's feelings of powerlessness and unfulfilled desire. There is a poignant contrast between the singer's ongoing emotional struggles and their wish for the person they love to be happy and free. The lyrics of "Sorrow" depict a complex and poignant exploration of love, loss, and the enduring hope for reconciliation and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Always felt like my feet were off the ground
I've often experienced a sense of weightlessness, as if I was unmoored from reality.
Now I know that sorrow train is coming down
I've come to realize that inevitable sadness is approaching me, like a train on a set path.
Down on me, gonna roll right over my poor heart again
This sadness will crash upon me forcefully, impacting my already vulnerable emotions.
And I hope she’s doing fine because my hearts been doing time
I wish for her well-being while I feel trapped in my emotional anguish.
While she is free
She is liberated from the burdens that weigh me down.
If I had wings they were to fly her through the air
In a fantasy world where I possessed the ability, I would effortlessly elevate her happiness.
Now I know that heavy load is hard to bear
I have come to understand that the emotional burdens I carry are particularly difficult.
Down on me, weighing down my poor heart once again
This weight of sorrow is pressing heavily upon my heart, revisiting my pain.
And I hope she’s doing fine because I’ll never touch the sky
I long for her happiness, yet I feel I will never reach a state of joy myself.
While she is free
She remains unencumbered while I remain in my emotional struggle.
Yesterday a hummingbird was busily
A small, vibrant bird appeared in my life, representing fleeting joy or beauty.
Singing songs of love I never thought would be
It seemed to bring forth melodies of affection that I had long deemed impossible.
Next to me, landing on my poor heart once again
This moment of beauty touched my heart, rekindling my feelings yet again.
Now I know she’s doing fine because she’s always on my mind
Her happiness is evident to me, as thoughts of her are ever-present in my mind.
While she is free
She enjoys a sense of release, unburdened by the emotional weight I carry.
Always felt like my feet were off the ground
I've consistently sensed a disconnect from reality and stability.
Now I know that sorrow train is coming down
I am now aware that sorrow is approaching with inevitable certainty.
Down on me, gonna roll right over my poor heart again
This sorrow will overwhelm me, causing deep emotional pain once more.
And I hope she’s doing fine because my hearts been doing time
While I endure pain and imprisonment in my feelings, I wish her well.
While she is free
She walks free and unburdened while I remain trapped in my emotions.
And I hope she’s doing fine because I’ll never touch the sky
I genuinely wish for her happiness, but I fear I will never find my own.
While she is free
Her sense of freedom is a stark contrast to my emotional confinement.
Now I know she’s doing fine because she’s always on my mind
It's clear to me that she is thriving because she occupies my thoughts incessantly.
While she is free
She remains liberated while I continue to wrestle with my heartache.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Robert Grant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind