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.
slumber my darling
Yo-Yo Ma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear,
Sunlight has pass'd and the twilight has gone,
Slumber, my darling, the night's coming on.
Sweet visions attend thy sleep,
Fondest, dearest to me,
While others their revels keep,
I will watch over thee.
Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm.
Slumber, my darling, till morn's blushing ray
Brings to the world the glad tidings of day;
Fill the dark void with thy dreamy delight--
Slumber, thy mother will guard thee tonight,
Thy pillow shall sacred be
From all outward alarms;
Thou, thou are the world to me
In thine innocent charms.
Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm
The lyrics of "Slumber My Darling" by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor and Alison Krauss beautifully depict a mother's love for her child. In this lullaby, the mother assures her child that she is always there to protect and comfort her. She promises to watch over her child while others are busy enjoying their revels. The mother expresses her desire to shield her child from any harm and prays for the angels to protect her. She wants her child to have peaceful, sweet dreams, even as the world sleeps.
The lullaby is not just about the mother and her child, but it also celebrates the beauty and tranquility of nature. The birds have gone to sleep, and the flowers are being caressed by the wandering dew. The world is slowly falling asleep, and as the darkness envelops everything, the mother wants her child to feel secure in her embrace.
Overall, "Slumber My Darling" is a heartwarming love song that celebrates the bond between a mother and child. Through her words, the mother reassures her child of her love and protection, and promises to be there for her even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Slumber, my darling, thy mother is near,
Sleep, my love, for I am here to protect you.
Guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear,
I will shield you from any nightmares or worries that may haunt you.
Sunlight has pass'd and the twilight has gone,
The day has ended and it's now nighttime.
Slumber, my darling, the night's coming on.
Sleep tight, as the darkness of the night enfolds us.
Sweet visions attend thy sleep,
May you dream of joy and happiness.
Fondest, dearest to me,
You are the most beloved person in my life.
While others their revels keep,
While others enjoy life's pleasures,
I will watch over thee.
I will stay awake and keep watch over you.
Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
Sleep tight, as even the birds have retired to their nests.
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
The gentle dew is settling on the flowers.
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
I will cover you with warmth and tenderness.
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm.
And I will pray that the angels will protect you from all danger and harm.
Slumber, my darling, till morn's blushing ray
Sleep well until the morning sun appears.
Brings to the world the glad tidings of day;
Announcing the arrival of yet another beautiful day.
Fill the dark void with thy dreamy delight--
Let your dreams fill the darkness with joy and delight.
Slumber, thy mother will guard thee tonight,
Sleep soundly, as I will protect you throughout the night.
Thy pillow shall sacred be
Your pillow is a sacred place where you shall rest.
From all outward alarms;
You're safe from any disturbances.
Thou, thou are the world to me
You mean everything to me.
In thine innocent charms.
Your innocence is truly charming.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FOSTER, MANSFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind