Steven Isserlis

I suppose that most people reading this will at some time or another have had the experience of trying to explain something to an annoying, if intelligent, child who, no matter how clear one makes one’s answers, keeps repeating ‘Why?’ Read more…

A few weeks ago, I was trying to find on Youtube a complete version of the performance the 94-year-old Pablo/Pau Casals gave, at the United Nations in 1971, of the Catalan folksong ‘Song of the Birds’. Read more…

Well, the difficult time of year has come and gone again – the time just after Christmas. Read more…

From time to time, I give classes for teenagers, and occasionally even pre-teens. I always enjoy these – the enthusiasm, the honesty, the idealism of these young people is frequently so touching and inspiring. Read more…

The Visuals Now, maybe I’m not really the person to write this article (reason below); but I’m going to write it anyway. It was partially inspired by a question I was asked recently during an interview at the Library of Congress: ‘What do you think of the emphasis on appearance in the music world today?’ […] Read more…

Beware of emotion – well, of inappropriate emotion, anyway… (again) I know that I’ve already ranted on about the danger of pouring superfluous beauty sauce over music; but I’m returning to it, because it seems that the message I try to convey more often than any other in classes is: ‘Don’t promise us false emotions’. […] Read more…

Nerves Most of us musicians suffer from nerves in some form, usually centred on one particular aspect of performing – memory, accuracy, or whatever. I’m suspicious, actually, of any musician who never gets nervous. Vulnerability is important for an interpreter – as is humility; and both these qualities are likely to result in nervousness before […] Read more…

Spontaneity I always feel a bit guilty about not being able to reply directly to comments made about my rants; it seems rude – but if I did, I would have even less of a life than I do away from cello or computer. But I am – usually! – very grateful for the thoughts […] Read more…

At the moment, I am reworking three of the Bach suites. This inevitably involves continuing detective work, trying to piece together Bach’s intentions from the sources we have. Read more…

I have just spent my annual week at the Open Chamber Music session of IMS Prussia Cove, down in Cornwall. It is lovely (in an intense sort of way) to be surrounded by great chamber music for every waking hour. Read more…