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Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax

Hope Amid Tears

Sony Classical
Release Date: June 4, 2021

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1 Beethoven: Sonata for Violoncello and Piano No. 1 in F major, Op. 5, No.1  
2 Beethoven: Sonata for Violoncello and Piano No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5, No.2  
3 Beethoven: Sonata for Violoncello and Piano No. 3 in A major, Op. 69  
4 Beethoven: Sonata for Violoncello and Piano No. 4 in C major, Op. 102, No.1  
5 Beethoven: Sonata for Violoncello and Piano No. 5 in D major, Op. 102, No.2  
6 Beethoven: 7 Variations on "Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen", WoO 46  
7 Beethoven: 12 Variations on a Theme from Handel's Judas Maccabaeus, WoO 45  
8 Beethoven: 12 Variations in F major on "Ein Madchen oder Weibchen", Op.66  
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On Friday, June 4, Yo-Yo Ma and long-time friend and musical partner Emanuel Ax released Hope Amid Tears, a new recording of Beethoven's complete works for cello and piano, on Sony Classical. Available now for preorder, Hope Amid Tears presents Beethoven's five sonatas for cello and piano in the order in which they were composed, tracing an important arc in Beethoven's development and approach as a composer. Joining them are Beethoven's three sets of variations for cello and piano. 

The title is an allusion to the possibly apocryphal story that, in 1809, Beethoven sent a copy of the recently-completed Sonata No. 3 to his friend Ignaz von Gleichenstein with the note "Inter lacrimas et luctum"-"amid tears and grief." At the time, Vienna was embroiled in the chaos of the Napoleonic Wars, and many of Beethoven's closest friends and supporters had fled the city. But in this period of loneliness and isolation, compounded by his increasingly profound deafness, Beethoven nonetheless completed works of enduring spirit.

  • Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax - Hope Amid Tears makes The Boston Globe 9 notable recordings in a year of local listening
    Posted At: December 17, 2021 12:00 AM
    The Boston Globe - David Weininger writes…..In keeping with the reflective time of year, the final Classical Notes column of 2021 takes stock of some of the year’s notable recordings by local artists, composers, and ensembles. Their partnership now in its fifth decade, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emanuel Ax play with a joyful, telepathic connection. Their latest is “Hope Amid Tears” (Sony), a collecti...
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  • Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax discuss 'Hope Amid Tears'
    Posted At: August 1, 2021 12:00 AM

    "My good friend Manny Ax would always say to me that it doesn't matter what you did yesterday; if you're here today, that's what counts." - Yo-Yo Ma to The New York Times Magazine On Friday, June 4, 2021 Yo-Yo Ma and long-time friend and musical partner Emanuel Ax released Hope Amid Tears, a new recording of Beethoven's complete works for cello and piano, on Sony Classical. Hope A...
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  • Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma - Beethoven: Cello Sonatas make CRB 'favorite tunes for July'
    Posted At: July 9, 2021 12:00 AM

    GBH Laura Carlo writes......For July, our favorite tunes include vacation jams, nostalgic hits, hyperpop beats, and unmissable classical recordings. Pop in your headphones, and let's get started. This series highlights our favorite music of the moment – discoveries we've made when we're at home cooking or cleaning, at the office, or out and about. Classical or otherwise, old, new, or just r...
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  • Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax - Hope Amid Tears is the WFMT: Featured New Release
    Posted At: June 11, 2021 12:00 AM

    WFMT's Lisa Flynn writes....Yo-Yo Ma and long-time friend and musical partner Emanuel Ax have released Hope Amid Tears, a new recording of Beethoven's complete works for cello and piano, on Sony Classical. The album presents Beethoven's five sonatas for cello and piano in the order in which they were composed, tracing an important arc in Beethoven's development and approach as a composer. Joining the...
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