Blind Taste-test (Listen-test) - Classical Cello, Approx. 3 minutes

Version 2.
Didn't get cute and be too delicate with the piano accompaniment. It was there and bold upfront.

Cello and piano were better integrated and equally and forcefully presented as a duet.

IMHO. Like your idea.

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I liked the first one better. I found that the second one was higher pitched and to my ears, not as soothing

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Ditto

2. Sounded richer somehow. I have bad ears and know almost nothing about music.

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As mentioned the two instruments play off each other better.

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So I'm not interested in the duet. I'm focused entirely on the cellist. Who, between the two of them, would you rate superior to the other?

Spoiler: One of them is Yo-Yo Ma. Here's a pic of the other (is this what you imagined?):



Which is which? Which one is the Crowned Prince of the cello world and which is our mystery girl?

Me

Two

The second seemed to emote more. It was a combination of better timbre (not just woodiness, not just sound, and not just better recording) but a sense bringing something that was deeper in (or within) the cello out. The second also (2me) had a better interplay as in syncopated rise and fall that spanned from note to note with hints of vibrato; while the first seemed to stretch the piece to fit it's allotted space. The 2nd was more crisp, had more life, and maybe it was just the recording but more on key. While the 1st was more slurry in texture; which is probably more high brow and universally appealing than it was to my ears.

Which probably means Yoyo Ma was number 1.

As promised, here is the "unmasking" of the cellists:

Version 1 (revealed)

Version 2 (revealed)

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And so what did you hear?

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Let me be clear - I dabble in Classical. My only organized playing experience was 2nd trumpet in a high school band. But even in that modest roll, I came to appreciate the different elements of sheet music and how the composer intended the piece to be laid out for the listener. It was a great time in my life and has stayed with me through the years.

I heard V2 pretty much as you described it. I liked it better than V1 - not because of the fidelity of the recording, but she seemed to nail the pitch of each note (most string instruments I listen to seem to be on the flat side). She appeared to be polished in her style. She had great precision. Her subtle pauses were well-timed and evoked anticipation from the listener looking for the next note and kept them engaged. She did an admirable job of tapering notes into silence. I thought the piece had nice momentum from end to end. Seamless. Obviously, each performer has their own interpretation of how the piece should be played and claims a bit of indulgence when they play. I think she actually one-upped YoYo Ma in this case.

In all fairness to YoYo Ma, the girl did have a rather large accompaniment of strings just behind her, albeit nearly imperceptible.

I guess the point I was trying to make with this little experiment is that I have a healthy sense of resentment for anointing performers as world-class when there's really not much to support it vs. other [starving] musicians in terms of their command of the instrument and how they channel their personal passion through it and converting it into sound for the enjoyment of fellow humans. I enjoy pulling for the underdog. It's encouraging to know that there are other performers amongst us that can give the big dogs a run for their money any day of the week. Stumbling across this girl and this particular piece is a nice find.

Thanks for playing along...

i dated a classical cellist while in college, she used to practice in her birthday suit which was pretty damn sexy

in any event, this piece was her favorite, she played it for me dozens of times and i still listen to it 30 years later

dvorak cello concerto in b minor

I prefer version 1