Yo Yo Ma gave credit to his father for the DNA containing the love his father had for the cello. Ma did not mention the source of his love for other people because that would have sounded suspiciously like bragging, a contradiction to the very nature of his charismatic personality.'The Silk Road', the title for his group of world class musicians, is a euphemism for the route from Asia to the Mediterranean by which goods and cultural activities were exposed to the eyes and ears of citizens in other lands.
In those days highwaymen and plunderers were often prepared to interrupt the journey and Ma, in selecting musicians to form the core of his group, chose individuals from nations that today are not considered in the vanguard for either freedom of thought or cultural exchange. In other words, these nations are amongst to-day's bandits. One individual, from Spain I believe, expressed this succinct comment on the intrusion of politics into culture: 'Who remembers who the King was when we celebrate Beethoven's birthday.'
Music & message, both inspiring.
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