Yo-Yo Ma Plays the Music of John Williams (2002)

Having exhausted the standard classical cello repertory, Yo-Yo Ma has turned to crossover projects, often dubious in concept but redeemed by his superb artistry. Composing especially for Ma, Williams attempts to go in the other direction toward serious modernism: Compared with his film scores, there's more dissonance and fewer good tunes. Inoffensive but forgettable, the music at least allows the magnificent Ma to invest it with greater emotional depth than it truly possesses.