“I was by no means a prodigy.” - Steven Isserlis

[@tommykeshishian753]

"It sort of helps when you realize you are not any good at anything else, that helps decide you" The blunt honesty of that statement is so relatable.

[@LivingtheClassicalLife]

We agree! Thanks for watching, Tommy Keshishian!

[@alwa6954]

I had no idea Steven Isserlis was such a lovely man. Not until I started watching these interviews with him. It's a pleasure to listen to him.

[@kierancarter5639]

A musical hero of mine in a spectacular interview, lovely watching! Amazing he talks about stage fright; I have seen him live numerous times and just once I recall him getting nervous during a Schumann concerto with BBCSO. It was so brief, at the beginning, and by no means obvious, needless to say it was a stunning, poetic performance. The man cares so very deeply about the music, and the composer. He lives and breathes music. What a marvellous human.

[@verborgenheitte]

Other than his amazing cello skills and eloquence, his hair is magnificent!

[@NOSEhow2LIV]

The BEST possible interview, full of humor, courtesy, and not a second wasted...the questions flow directly but calmly, the answers equally direct with absolute truths leavened with wit and fun! Thank you for revealing this superb artist also as a loveable person!

[@LivingtheClassicalLife]

Thanks for your kind words, NOSEhow2LIV!

[@lesliewoodhull5383]

I love that when he's performing that he doesn't look at the 'cello when he's playing. He allows the 'cello to sing and although he's playing it, of course, his performance feels very free and unrestricted. And the instrument itself has an absolutely gorgeous voice. As a string player myself, I understand the vocalization that an instrument itself gives to the music. It is just a wonderful feeling to give voice to what the composer has written.

[@Pricher1991]

intelligent questions and great answers!

[@stravinsky99]

This interviewer is wonderful; one of the best interviewers on classical music, I have ever seen/heard!

[@vartannazarian2437]

What a genuinely honest, modest and pleasant artist. I learned a lot about music just listening to him. Thank you so much for this interview.

[@martinbradshaw5834]

What a wonderfully honest man. Thank you!

[@monicacall7532]

“If the career becomes more important than the music”. Wow! As a professional musician I’ve seen this too many times and it’s so sad. Ditto for professional musicians who sell their instruments or refuse to ever sing/play again when they retire. That’s not being a musician! Isserlis is so right about playing music for children. I also agree with him about teaching. There’s nothing worse than a teacher who hates to teach! I know from my own student days. But a teacher who cares and wants to share their knowledge is a gem.

[@katia1239]

delightful PERSON, incredible musician. not all musicians can boast being both.

[@madelinesalocks]

What a delightful and genuine person Steven Isserlis is. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this interview and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@corneliababbitt1277]

Best interview ever!! Brilliantly done! The interviewer actually let Isserlis do the talking without interruption! Really really enjoyed it! Thank you for posting!

[@dawnoei1782]

Love Steven Isserlis. We have been lucky to hear him perform at Wigmore Hall many times over the years. He has a great spirit and is always a joy to see on stage.

[@thomasscream4179]

Man, you are a fantastic interviewer. Great questions!

[@rubengreenberg2253]

He certainly is a great interviewer! If I could afford it it, I would hire him as my psychoanalyst.

[@davidbee8178]

Steven Isserlis is obviously a really intelligent person with an impeccable musical integrity. Interesting that with such expertise and experience he still experiences "stage fright" . . . one idea that may help any musician to combat performance "butterflies" is to take the focus off of "how will I do?" and turn that around to ask "how may I serve?" The audience is hungry for a musical treat and you're there to serve one up to them. Brilliant interview style in the Living the Classical Life series - SO well done!

[@WelshIron]

My favourite Cellist. I have been lucky enough to see Steven in concert many times and each time was a wonderful experience. Great interview, thank you.

[@yudanliang9135]

He is going to play at my city tonight, looking forward to his concert platform!

[@DanielKodiak]

Yudan Liang how was it?

[@pazcoodechile]

Great interviewer and wonderful answers. All budding classical musicians should see this.

[@Rodflute]

Great interview with one of the most interesting musicians! Thanks for uploading!

[@rickartdefoix1298]

Analyse, know the music you are going to play, his approach is, he says,, almost scientific. Very interesting to know more Iserliss, a cellist whose Beethoven Cello Sonatas I love, as the Brahms ones with Peter Evans at piano. His sound is one of the best ever heard. This modest character states humour is as important as tragedy in music. Winner of important awards, Isserlis is no doubt one of the more important cellist of our times.

[@qp1261]

Steven always makes unbelievably beautiful sounds. I really love it.

[@jacc88888]

Fantastic interview. Also, I really appreciated Isserlis’ honesty as well as his wonderful approach to music and performing.

[@ArtVandelay99]

Well done Zsolt for this great interview with this wonderful musician, warm greetings from Romania!

[@edmoore]

Very interesting to hear him say how much time he puts into practicing/studying the piano accompaniments to the cello parts - whenever I watch any of his masterclasses he has a much to say to the accompanist as the cellist about the overall thematic and emotional structure of the piece. He is creating a proper duet rather than merely worrying about the cello part. He's really making better music as much as a better performer.

[@szegedification]

Wonderful interview.

[@denise2169]

Thank you for another wonderful interview! Great artists like Isserlis are so in touch with what is important in life! I can see and hear the joy in his face and voice! I unfortunately ha e not heard of him before, but will now seek out his music, as I have loved your interview with him. Thank you for this!

[@LivingtheClassicalLife]

Thanks for watching and commenting, Denise!

[@panossolo909]

@@LivingtheClassicalLifeAll of us are unanimous about the “meticulously” “composed” questions that really covered aspects that were thought provoking (as indeed were the answers by Isserlis). It seemed like a very innovative approach by the interviewer. I would give him a 110% out of 100%, if only he did not come across so very stressed and nervous (I wander if this is attributable to the immense respect for the artist). THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS . THANK YOU!

[@saragrant3667]

Yes, such amazing cellist & musician as musical researcher of taste, style and this private, very inwords part of the composer and compositions...

[@ericlee6687]

Fantastic interview. He is a very interesting person in addition to being a fantastic musician. Good questions by the interviewer too

[@Leslie9250]

I try to get to any concerts of his, I can. Last year I saw a chamber concert twice, in two different venues. The music was so very different from each other. I loved the experience.

[@Adlerjunges83]

Just found this wonderful channel. What a great joy to listen to the interviews. Thank you so much.

[@avi82625]

Absolutely inspiring

[@plavalisica57]

Lovely messages! Lovely man!

[@Boveyphil]

Saw him playing the Bach Cello Suites in Bovey Tracey (Devon) last week. Phenomenal!

[@dorflerstrad3927]

Boveyphil which ones? I saw him play 1 and 6 recently

[@Boveyphil]

He did 1, 5 and 6. I have also heard that he is giving up doing live solo performances.

[@dorflerstrad3927]

Boveyphil he seemed nervous at the RNCM playing them But in case you see this mr isserlis You were awesooomee

[@dorflerstrad3927]

What an amazing man

[@ProfessorGreybeard]

Excellent interview, I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[@ChamberForMusic]

What an artist! Beautiful interview.

[@musicavivala2939]

Loved it!

[@royvanzadel2987]

Dear living classical friends Children are very sensitive to music Specialy while they are not filled with the physical and spirital Ego-istic where adults have forgotten their child within their spiritual hearts of light and are taken by time and space wich actually have no existence only by man created and their head is filled with one thought than follows the next moments,you should listen within our hearts as one like the ears on a Angel wings,thank you Roy van Zadel All classical stories are deprived from the infinite Ocean of unconditional love 4For all life equally🙏🏼☔☀️👨‍💻✌👼🤸‍♂️🚵‍♂️😊💙💎❤✨🤗🌈❣

[@marjaengstrom9890]

LiSten to these interwiews! Interesting!

[@njdd33]

I love this interview! Very inspiring and quite interesting. Isserlis is truly an amazing musician. Best regards.

[@michaelchristianis133]

Thanks for replying. Could you recommend me some random piece? Recently I just stumbled on Cesar Frank's Sonata for Violin in A. Its hard to find the non mainstream music thats really good.

[@michaelchristianis133]

Thanks for the recommendation! This brings me back to Bernstein's "On The Water front piece" symphonic suite i played in high school.

[@michaelchristianis133]

Can you recommend me something random again? I really enjoyed the Bernstein Piece. Thanks

[@ROBINdulce]

Un homenaje al magisterio: buenos maestros y mejores alumnos. ¡Qué importante es motivar e inspirar a los estudiantes! Para quienes no somos capaces de leer una partitura, no nos queda más remedio que escuchar grabaciones de nuestras obras favoritas con distintos intérpretes. Pero entiendo el punto: hay que acudir a las fuentes originales y tratar de ser fiel a las intenciones del compositor.

[@philnewton3096]

Sando Vech was a violinist though. at 13;26.

[@felixdevilliers1]

I hope Isserlis gets to see this. I write a diary in episodes which I send to about ten people about everything, life, politics, music and my next episode will be about Isserlis and Schumann. I'm just sorry I can't find his slow movement of the cello concerto on the net. The lovely aria from Schumann's Mass ends the selection a bit abruptly so I'm adding the slow movement of Schumann''s second Symphony on at the end. I used not to think much of the last movement of the cello concerto but isserlis makes t come to life.

[@charangosurf]

A very interesting interview not in small part due to the interviewer's excellent questions and unobtrusive style.

[@windstorm1000]

Is Steven from the midlands? Or Liverpool--to these naïve American ears he sounds a bit like John Lennon!! Remarkable artist--great interview and interviewer!

[@marichristian1072]

Sounds like a well educated Londoner to me.

[@vetlenr8828]

What is the opening piece??

[@BoratSagdiyevBilo]

Beethoven piano concerto no 1 second movement

[@michaelchristianis133]

What's the piano piece that was played in the intro of this video? Great interview, thanks for sharing

[@Chasestringsmusic]

19:00

[@johnnicholls5344]

The dry wit of Steven Isserlis. Plus the deep thinker Steven Isserlis.

[@philnewton3096]

14;16 to me that's the nub ; "to bring out the best "....educare. In education ....."to draw out of the student"... needs skill of an experienced teacher....

[@incadove]

He reminds me a bit of Roddy McDowall.

[@yishihara55527]

Classic narcissist. Next....

[@Chasestringsmusic]

19:41