According to a friend of mine who has spent most of his time around classical musicians, different instruments in the orchestra attract different personality types.
Violinists tend to be temperamental. Bassoon players are quirky and intellectual. Percussionists are good dads. Trombone players are sweet but depressed. Oboists are suicidally uptight. Trumpet players are egotistical. Tuba players are egotistical too, but also chubby.
And then there are the cellists. These are the charmers. The sexy ones. Real stylish.
Like most stereotypes, these characterizations probably aren’t entirely accurate, but if there’s any truth to the cellist personality, then David Downing must be pretty popular with the ladies, because he’s quite the cellist.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. David Downing does with the cello what Bobby McFerrin does with his voice, using all the sounds and textures and tones the cello has to offer, creating an orchestra out of one instrument.
2. The delay at 1:58. If U2 had a cellist, it would sound like this.
3. The whole song has a very suave feel to it. I don’t know who Sarah is, but she’s probably the envy of all her friends.
Recommended listening activity:
Ordering food at a French restaurant…in perfect French.