The playlist for my past few months of quarantine has inevitably become “Songs of Comfort and Hope,” Yo-Yo Ma’s latest album with long-time accompanist and musical partner Kathryn Stott. Pressing “play” evokes a seamless track of 21 new recordings that perpetually echo an ocean of hope, presenting an unrestricted ticket past the pandemic’s melancholic depths toward a sparkling tomorrow, where transcendence is streamed in simple yet glowing tones.
Whether a radiant vision for the future or a lyrical refuge from the present, Ma’s work has surprisingly humble beginnings. Seeking to provide comfort to others during the early days of the pandemic, Ma initially decided to record short clips which he made available over social media. Gradually his project took on a life of its own, and before long Ma’s collection of emotional recordings, having reached millions, evolved into a truly spectacular studio product.
As Ma and Stott write, “‘Songs’ bring a sense of community, identity, and purpose, crossing boundaries and binding us together in thanks, consolation, and encouragement.” Buoyed by this abiding faith, the two become the dedicated architects of a soaring soundscape spanning gem-like masterpieces from a range of cultures, genres and eras, including canonical pop songs and jazz standards.
From the liminal stretch of dissonant, blustery winds symbolizing the chaos of COVID-19, the sense of a journey—perhaps even a spiritual odyssey—begins to unfold, as “Amazing Grace, Prelude” gives rise to the silken, breathlessly fluid notes reminiscent of this traditional English hymn. Gliding into “Ol’ Man River,” Ma elucidates resilience with nearly operatic emotion and a naturalistic quality that flows from ethereal harmonics deep into the cello’s lower range. Within this key transition, we hear a gateway trope: Every tension-filled peak crests into resplendent waves that bend toward a bridge, where hope guides past sorrow toward another realm.
For all its sweeping, poetic sensations, “Songs of Comfort and Hope” shines through its tender precision to individual song arcs. Particularly in “Over the Rainbow”—freshly arranged by Tom Poster—Ma unspools joy and nostalgia through the prism of sheer dream, as misty phrases evolve into achingly beautiful aspirations. Culminating with a delicate, spatial scale that precedes a meticulously sustained final vision across the string, Ma transports the listener to an other-worldly plane.
The silvery opulence of “Moscow Nights” proves nearly as exquisite: Chords rippling with expressive dolor recall an exalted past, through acoustic meadows gently lit by moonlight. Another soaring jewel, “The Last Rose of Summer” pulsates with a tantalizing richness of voicing, through an unrequited yearning for companionship.
The album ends where it began, with a clap of thunder in “Amazing Grace, Postlude” that again throws reality into stark relief. A powerful silence follows—the quiet after the storm. Luminous hope finally permeates the tranquility, nearly bursting with confidence before winging unbound onto the horizon.
Album cover courtesy of Sony Classical
