Yellow (Cello and Piano) — Brooklyn Duo

Artist: Brooklyn Duo

Title: Yellow - Cello and Piano Cover

Year: 2019

Composers: Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, & Chris Martin

Genre: Pop

Following this week's theme of resolutions, this powerful piece opens my playlist. Because this is an instrumental cover of a popular song by Coldplay, I find that it has a sense of familiarity. For new listeners, perhaps the slow buildup encourages introspection. The soft piano introduces the beat to the music and is joined by the cello, which interprets the lyrical component. The piece starts to gain momentum as the musicians work together, complementing each others' sounds.

This progression throughout the cover reminds me of the cycle of change. When a decision is made to improve something, the initial action occurs gradually until it becomes integrated. At this point, if the new additions work in harmony, change has been accomplished. I feel that the musicians, in this case, exemplified this phenomenon.

Though this is a lyricless cover, it is notable to consider the words in the original song to better understand the meaning of the piece. Coldplay repeated these lyrics, emphasizing "brightness, hope and devotion." This resonates peacefully and, when performed, creates a scene full of light and love.

Connection to Playlist

With this playlist, I aim to invite listeners into a musical journey about empowerment and social mobility. As a Pop song, Yellow may resonate with listeners, and they may feel encouraged to search within because of its instrumental characteristics. This song introduces the theme of "Gold, God, and Glory" as the color is a subtle nod to gold. Yellow highlights the beauty and uniqueness of an individual. In Brooklyn Duo's classical instrumental version, it becomes more personal and open to interpretation.

Resources

Brooklyn Duo, Yellow - Cello and Piano Cover, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxI8zr-CPRg.

Coldplay, Yellow Rock in Rio 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qis5SFr-BN0.

Genius, Yellow - Lyrics, https://genius.com/Coldplay-yellow-lyrics.