British cellist Steven Isserlis performs on the ‘Marquis de Corberon’ Stradivarius of 1726, an instrument on loan from the Royal Academy of Music. The 300-year-old cello serves as the primary tool for Isserlis’ career as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator.
The 1726 Marquis de Corberon Stradivarius
The ‘Marquis de Corberon’ is a centerpiece of Isserlis’ professional output. While the Financial Times highlights the extraordinary nature of the 300-year-old instrument, the cello is not owned by the musician but is provided via a loan from the Royal Academy of Music.
Did you know? Steven Isserlis has recorded J.S. Bach’s complete solo cello suites on his instrument, a project that earned the Gramophone Instrumental Album of the Year award.
Holistic Training Under Jane Cowan
Isserlis attributes his musical approach to the “organic” teaching methods of Jane Cowan. In an interview with the Internet Cello Society, Isserlis described a total immersion technique where he lived in Cowan’s Scottish home three times a year for eight-week stays.
Cowan’s curriculum extended beyond the cello. She required students to listen to Goethe’s “Faust” to better interpret Beethoven and read Racine to understand the phonetic sounds of the French language for the works of Debussy, Couperin, and Faure. Isserlis stated that Cowan never taught technique for its own sake, instead presenting technical issues within the context of specific musical goals.
Interpreting Meaning in Bach and Schumann
The application of “speech, stories, or visual images” in performance is a carryover from Cowan’s influence, which Isserlis applies to both Baroque and Romantic music. When questioned by the Internet Cello Society about whether meaning is injected into Bach’s music after the fact, Isserlis argued that the duration of a piece’s composition is irrelevant to its impact.
He cited Robert Schumann’s cello concerto, which was written in four days, as a primary example. Isserlis maintains that regardless of whether a piece took four minutes or four years to compose, the resulting music remains “incredibly moving.”
Isserlis Directs Orchestras and Contributes to Music Education
Isserlis maintains a varied professional portfolio that includes directing chamber orchestras from the cello and working with period-instrument ensembles. His contributions to music education include two children’s books published by Faber & Faber and a 2021 companion to the Bach suites.
His leadership roles include serving as the Artistic Director of the International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove in Cornwall since 1997. He has also curated concert series for the Salzburg Festival and London’s Wigmore Hall.
Pro Tip: For those studying the cello, Isserlis’ 2021 commentary on Schumann’s Advice for Young Musicians provides a modern bridge to classical pedagogy.
Who Owns the Cello Steven Isserlis Plays?
Who owns the cello Steven Isserlis plays?
The ‘Marquis de Corberon’ Stradivarius of 1726 is owned by the Royal Academy of Music and is provided to Isserlis on loan.
Which composers has Steven Isserlis focused on in his writing?
Isserlis has authored works regarding J.S. Bach and Robert Schumann, including a 2021 companion to the Bach suites and a commentary on Schumann’s advice for musicians.
What is the “total immersion” method mentioned by Isserlis?
It is a holistic teaching approach used by Jane Cowan that involved students living in her home for several weeks a year and studying literature and poetry to inform their musical interpretation.
Isserlis continues to perform with major global orchestras, including the London Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, utilizing the 1726 Stradivarius for both contemporary premieres and historical repertoire.
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