Cellist Steven Isserlis brings the house down

He was on stage for just half an hour, but cellist Steven Isserlis CBE enchanted the packed Jamshed Bhabha Theatre in Mumbai on the night of September 20. As conductor Alpesh Chauhan waved his baton, the curly-haired British maestro dazzled on German composer Robert Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A Minor.

Steven was one of the main attractions of the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) Autumn 2023 Season. Spread over five performances, the programme also featured Zakir Hussain’s Triple Concerto for the tabla, bansuri, sitar and the orchestra, besides appearances by conductor Richard Farnes, pianist Pavel Kolesnikov and violinist Marat Bisengaliev, who is also founding music director of SOI.

Schumann’s Cello Concerto was in three movements — Nicht Zu Schnell (not too fast), Langsam (slowly) and Sehr Lebhaft (very lively). Composed over a mere two-week period, the piece was premiered in 1860, and diverges from traditional concertos of its time. Musicologist Richard E. Rodda says that “rather than showcasing the soloist in a battle of wits against the orchestra, Schumann crafts a more collaborative narrative, blurring the lines between soloist and ensemble.”

Steven plays a 1726 Marquis de Corberon Stradivarius cello on loan from the Royal Academy of Music. He says the programme was decided when the tour was being planned. He adds, “I like everything about the Schumann composition. It is a work of genius from first to last — one of the most original, beautiful and profound concertos for any instrument.”

Steven puts Schumann’s name high on his list of favourite composers. He says, “It’s hard to decide an actual favourite. I always say that if I had to take the music of one composer to a desert island, it would have to be that of J.S. Bach. But then, I’d lose the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and others. That would be terrible. However, I suppose that the two composers whose music I feel the greatest sense of mission, since I feel they are misunderstood and under-appreciated, are Schumann and Gabriel Faure.”

Steven Isserlis and Alpesh Chauhan at the  Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) Autumn 2023 Season held at NCPA.
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Photo courtesy: NCPA

After receiving a standing ovation for the concerto and taking a bow, Steven returned to play the short encore ‘The Song Of The Birds’ by Spanish legend Pablo Casals and arranged by Sally Beamish. He says Pablo has always been one of his heroes as a performer, along with Daniil Shafran. He adds, “My biggest influence was probably my main teacher Jane Cowan, though there have been other major influences too.”

This was Steven first concert with British conductor Alpesh Chauhan, who has been associated with the Dusseldorfer Symphoniker, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Birmingham Opera Company. He says, “I have been to one concert of his, which was very impressive. But I didn’t meet him there. My first meeting was only at the rehearsals in Mumbai.”

Steven was, however, fortunate enough to play with the great Indian conductor Zubin Mehta in Israel. He adds, “He was marvellous, but if I’m honest, I don’t think I played my best that night. It was annoying.”

British cellist Steven Isserlis performs works by composers Bach with ‘Cello Suites’ and Gyorgy Kurtag with ‘Signs, Games and Messages’ on stage at Wigmore Hall on February 17, 2016, in London, England.
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Photo: Amy T. Zielinski/Redferns

Now 64, London-born Steven Isserlis has an interesting story about why he chose the cello. He explains, “My father played the violin, as does my middle sister Rachel. My mother was a piano teacher, and my elder sister Annette is a violist. And our dog sang. So, a cellist was needed.”

Naturally, ‘playing together’ was an integral part of his musical upbringing. From London, Steven moved to Scotland to study under the tutelage of Jane Cowan. From 1976 to 1978, he studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Ohio. His major breakthrough came in 1988 when he asked British composer John Tavener to write ‘The Protecting Veil’, a composition for cello and strings. He recalls, “In fact, I asked him for a 10-minute piece for cello and small string ensemble. What I got was a 40-minute masterpiece for cello and preferably a huge string orchestra.”

When Steven is not performing, he spends time writing on music. He is the author of two children’s books about famous composers. In 2001, he wrote ‘Why Beethoven Threw The Stew’ and in 2006, he penned ‘Why Handel Waggled His Wig’. He says, “My son Gabriel, now 33 and who may visit India , prompted the idea as a child. He was becoming interested in the lives of composers, and I wanted to find a book for him. But since I couldn’t find what I wanted, I decided to write one myself.”

Besides these, Steven has authored a book on Schumann’s advice to young musicians, and a companion guide on Bach’s cello suites. “I’d like to hope that the children’s books have somewhat fulfilled their purpose — they’ve been translated into many languages, anyway. I know what to give my friends’ children as presents!” he says.

One of Steven Isserlis’ biggest feats is being awarded a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 in recognition of his services to music. His passion for the art form remains undiminished 25 years later.