Yo-Yo Ma: Inspired by Bach

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma stars in a series of six short films based on Johann Sebastian Bach's Suites for Unaccompanied Cello.

Episodes

Cast

Suite #1 - The Music Garden

1. Suite #1 - The Music Garden

1st Apr 1998

"The Music Garden," a documentary about designing a waterfront garden in Toronto. With landscape artist Julie Moir Messervy and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Directed by Kevin McMahon.

Suite #2 - The Sound of the Carceri

2. Suite #2 - The Sound of the Carceri

"The Sound of the Carceri," a film melding Bach's cello music, played by Yo-Yo Ma, with computer-generated images of Renaissance architect Giovanni Piranesi's etchings. Directed by Francois Girard.

Suite #3- Falling Down Stairs

3. Suite #3- Falling Down Stairs

Yo-Yo Ma collaborates with choreographer Mark Morris on a new dance, entitled "Falling Down Stairs," performed by the Mark Morris Dance Group. Directed by Barbara Willis Sweete.

Suite #4- Sarabande

4. Suite #4- Sarabande

Filmmaker Atom Egoyan collaborates with cellist Yo-Yo Ma on a film titled “Sarabande,” about the effects of music on the lives of five characters. Ma plays himself. With Lori Singer, Don McKellar, Jan Rubes and Arsinee Khanjian.

Suite #5- Struggle for Hope

5. Suite #5- Struggle for Hope

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and artist Tamasaburo Bando create a Kabuki dance entitled "Struggle for Hope." Performed by Bando and directed by Niv Fichman.

Suite #6- Six Gestures

6. Suite #6- Six Gestures

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean skate "Six Gestures," recalling Bach's life during 1717-23, when he wrote the suites for unaccompanied cello. With Tom McCamus as Bach. Directed by Patricia Rozema.

First air date

1st Apr 1998

Last air date

1st Apr 1998

Status

Ended

Type

Miniseries

Original language

en

Networks