Rostropovich and Yo-Yo-Ma each interpreted Beethoven's piece with grace. I felt that Rostropovich's Cello Sonata was more captivating because the piano and the cello played off each other. It was like the cello was a man, and the piano was a woman. He tries to romance her in the beginning, creeping up to her like a delicate flower, and romancing her as much as possible. He then gets the girl, but there is confrontation about. They get angry, make up, and fight all over again. It is the classic love story, of happiness and conflict, working together harmoniously. The cello stated its prominence, and the piano accompanied it.
In Yo-Yo-Ma's interpretation, the piano was the main focal point. I did not get the same storyline from his recording. Piano and cello played harmoniously together, with a light and airy balance between the two. Reading on wikipedia, it stated that Beethoven wrote this piece in his time of hardship, as his deafness became more prevalent. This conflict in him brought him to write No. 4. I did not feel the conflict Yo-Yo-Ma's interpretation. It was played much slower, without as much fervor. This piece would be something nice to listen to after a nice dinner and in time for coffee, but not emotional enough for a soundtrack. There was a story behind the Rostropovich's piece, and I enjoyed the emotional attachment to it instead of Yo-Yo-Ma's interpretation. 
Nice. Telling a story is helpful in characterizing these performances.
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