AllMovie

Artistic idealism meets bureaucratic red tape in this first entry in the six-part series, Yo-Yo Ma: Inspired by Bach. Suite no. 1 for cello, entitled The Music Garden, provides the backdrop for this documentary as Ma invites garden designer Julie Moir Messervy to design an urban park that will visually interpret the aforementioned musical piece. Messervy and Ma -- who initially expresses some doubts about the practicality of the project -- quickly build momentum and enthusiasm behind their brainchild. But after some initial successes, they are met with just as many obstacles, forcing the duo to travel from Boston to Toronto to accomplish their rather lofty civic goals.