Steven Isserlis. Bach Cello Suites. Hyperion, CDA67541/2 Released 2007.
Recorded in Henry Wood Hall London 4-8 December 2005 and 17-19th July 2006.
General comments of the recording.
This recording differs from many others in that it sounds initially less dynamic. In addition, there is an acoustic with less echo. The tonality of the instrument is easy to discern. The end result is of a very intimate rendition which I want to listen to repeatedly. I suspect the recording engineers have worked less hard to impress the listener with the overall sound. Instead, leaving that to the performer who perhaps favours a more honest and open approach. Certainly from reading the accompanying notes one gets the impression of an artist who has a somewhat self effacing approach. This applies to his description of the Suites and his interpretation.
I for one am definitely sold on his theory of the Suites as portrayals of the three kinds of Sacred Mystery. More detail can be found in the notes but the idea of the fifth Suite portraying Christ’s crucifixion, makes the starkness and bleakness of the Sarabande even more telling.
The Interpretation
In many ways Isserlis interprets the Suites in a conventional manner. There is no apparent design to play in an authentic period style. Neither is there grandiose romanticism. I was to experience no great surprises other than the Sarabandes which I will go into more detail later.
The pace of each movement is as expected, excepting the Allemendes, which tend to be slightly brisker than many. Also the fourth Suite Prelude is rapid and there is emphasis on the first note of each bar rather than each of the four beats in the bar which makes it sound even quicker. To my mind this works well. Other performers do seem to make a meal of this movement in trying to build a massive sound to impress the listener.
Rhythm.
Isserlis preserves the rhythmicity of the dance movements despite increasing complexity as the Suites develop from the first to the last. Overall, It leaves me with an impression of a hugely measured, intellectual and in the case of the Sarabandes, passionate rendition.
The Sarabandes.
The Sarabandes particularly benefit from the dry acoustic so that the listener is lulled into a sense that the performance is for them as an individual not as part of an audience. Isserlis plays each one of the Sarabandes as if a lover serenading the object of his/her desire. For this reason alone, I recommend this recording.
Conclusion.
As hopefully conveyed by the above, I feel this is a very high quality performance worthy of utmost respect. All in all worthy of inclusion in any music lover’s collection.
Below is a link to further thoughts about the Suites and interpretation.
http://stevenisserlis.com/a-few-little-thoughts-on-playing-bach/
Charles.
Stephen Isserlis The Cello Suites (Hyperion CDA 67541/2) Rec.2005/6.
Introduction.
Isserlis received a raft of awards for his version of the Suites including the coveted Gramophone Instrumental Recording of the Year Award in 2007. He had also, waited until his late 40’s to set down his recording. Isserlis’ own excellent booklet notes demonstrate that they are deeply considered readings. His consultation on textual and performance matters with the ubiquitous Bach expert John Butt underlines this.
The Recording.
With the exception of Suite 5, (a Guadagnini) Isserlis plays throughout on his Feuermann Stradivarius. The gut strings give a less bold and more delicate sound. Some choice quotes on critics assessments include. ” Some of the best Bach playing I have heard since Casals.” (BBC Radio 3). From BBC Music Magazine, “recording quality is excellent…balanced between immediacy and spaciousness.” And “a completely new and inspiring benchmark”.
However, I personally think there is a strong element of hype in these views, and to a degree disagree outright with the comments as I hope to show below.
The Music.
Isserlis divides the Suites over the two discs by including 1-4 on disc one and 5 and 6 on disc two. Furthermore, the last two were recorded at the later 2006 recording date. I find this very interesting as the level of inspiration for the latter two I find is on a higher plane to the first 4.
The first disc.
In the first Suite opening Prelude, Isserlis sounds to me strangely muted and plays with restraint. Conversely the Courante seems skittish not bouncy, and frenetic not focussed. The Sarabande however, is simple, deeply felt and does seem to have appropriate scale for the piece.
In Suite 2 the feel throughout is more of the same, although the closing Gigue seems to just peter out with no sense for me of an ending.
Suite 3 does have some noticeable plus points. Namely a Prelude with good dynamic variation and pacing differentiation. This gives the feel of a piece developing from an attention grabbing start.
The two Bourrees are also reasonably well delineated (although this is even more marked in the following Suite 4).
Suite 4 as a whole feels like Isserlis is starting to loosen up a bit, with overall more character and individuality on display. The Courante does feel more bouncy and energetic rather than just over hasty.
Here, Isserlis does succumb to the curse of tippy tappy fingering (check out Suite 1’s Courante for a particularly bad example) not conveyed on earlier generation recordings.
Throughout this four suite disc one, I was left with the feeling that Isserlis was perhaps being too tentative in his approach and not bringing all that he was capable of to the recording sessions (although I appreciate many seem to disagree with this view!)
The second disc.
Suites 5 and 6 for me are where Isserlis starts to come into his own. Granted they are the more complex and interesting suites overall, but that doesn’t necessarily provide cellists with an easy recipe to success. Be that as it may, both suites have positive and original things to say in the Preludes, a real sense of energy, momentum and direction in the faster movements and finally some spirituality emerging in not just the Sarabandes but the Allemandes also.
Movements worthy of particular comment include firstly, the 5th Suite Sarabande which seems to delicately freeze time. Secondly, a Gigue where he intriguingly flattens and bends the notes in sustained phrase endings. Thirdly, the 6th Suite’s Allemande has a real stream of consciousness mood to it with what feels like a relatively fast pace with very few breaks in the flow.
Lastly, the Sarabande also has the illusion of feeling relatively brisk, but still retains a suitably mournful air to it and has a lightness to the spread chordings which seems to me quite appropriate.
The final Gigue is a joyful romp. And, dare I say it, also an impression that Isserlis is letting rip being relieved that he has finally managed to traverse the set relatively unscathed.
Recording Quality.
Comments on the recording quality are not straight forward. I would acknowledge a certain naturalness with no evidence of glare or brittleness displayed. However for me they come across as small scale, flat and with a narrow soundstage. This is especially so in the first four Suites.
What is interesting though is trying to work out how much of that is the technical recording and how much is Isserlis’ own approach. For instance, Isserlis has been reported in the Sunday Times as stating ” I am a chamber musician”. There does appear to be emphasis on the chamber aspect of the pieces. The trade off being a certain lack of presence and scale.
In the same Sunday Times article (13/1/19) Isserlis states he probably won’t perform the Suites again in public as he finds this “too nerve racking”. This I find intriguing as it would also go some way to explaining why, even back in the mid 2000’s, I found his readings somewhat tentative overall. Almost as if he felt the Suites were just too awe inspiring to actually master in performance. Be that live or as here in a studio.
Conclusion.
In summary then, I fell a little out on a limb here with regards to the perceived wisdom. In other words, these, as a set , are not versions to place at my top table of interpretations.
Mark