Air and Simple Gifts Yo Yo Ma Itzhak Perlman John Williams Live at the Inauguration
August 16, 2009 - 3:18 am
Link to a version without interruption http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsEMR75Bae0
For the first time, a classical quartet has been invited to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.
It all began when the President-elect had asked Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman to perform, and they, in turn called John Williams, a frequent collaborator with both artists, “to help them prepare something to play.” Mr. Ma chose the other two performers, clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Gabriela Montero to round out this unique and diverse quartet.
Duration : 0:5:22
Maestro John Williams arranged a piece based on Aaron Copeland’s arrangement of the old Shaker Tune “Simple Gifts” as “Variations on a Shaker Melody”. Yo-Yo Ma performs along with Itzhak Perlman on violin, Gabriela Montero on piano and Anthony McGill on clarinet.