CD REVIEW
– HAYDN
& BACH CELLO CONCERTOS
Steven
Isserlis - The Deutsche
Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Hyperion
CDA68162 (77:47)
Back in February
1980 I attended a Maidstone
Symphony Orchestra concert, where
the cello soloist was a
22-year-old Londoner already
being recognised as rather
special, receiving reviews like
"His youth seemed to give
him access to open-hearted
lyrical flow" (The Times)
and "... the discovery of
the day … proved his
exceptional artistic talent
… complete virtuosity …
expressive singing tone."
(Salzburg Volksblatt). Now –
37 years later – Steven
Isserlis is a CBE and recognised
as one of the all-time greats of
his instrument – the one
reckoned to sound closest to the
human voice.
He has not made a
better recording than this album,
featuring the Cello Concertos
in C and D major of Joseph
Haydn (1732-1809), who was one of
the sunniest of classical
composers and certainly knew how
to write a good tune. It was 'Papa'
Haydn who said "When I think
upon my God, my heart is full of
joy that the notes dance and leap
from my pen." The other full
work here, Cello Concerto in
A major, comes from the
great J S Bach's slightly
underrated second surviving son,
Carl Philipp Emanuel (known today
as 'C P E'). Two shorter –
although not insubstantial –
pieces complete the album: Mozart's
Geme la Tortorella from
the opera 'La finta
giardiniera', and Boccherini’s
Adagio, the slow
movement from his Cello
Concerto in G Major.
As well as his own
sparkling playing, Isserlis
directs the accompanying
musicians, with another reviewer
opining: "His partnership
with the brilliant Bremen
orchestra is a musical marriage
made in heaven." He is also
responsible for the Haydn and
Bach cadenzas, which is when the
orchestra stops playing, leaving
the soloist to play alone and can
be written or improvised,
depending on what the composer
specifies. And, befitting a
children's book author, he has
written the extensive and very
interesting booklet notes.
Finally, this well-filled CD has
the fine recorded sound typical
of the label.
Who could ask for
anything more?
Peter Burt
© 2017
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