British cellist Steven Isserlis seeks joy and beauty in everything he plays. His choice of William Walton’s Cello Concerto for this week’s National Symphony Orchestra concerts has all the elements that satisfy his quest. “I fell in love with it right away and have played it a lot because it’s so touching,” he said. “It has everything. It’s inward-looking, though not famous, so I enjoy sharing it. When I made my NSO debut in 2008 playing Haydn’s Cello Concerto, Nigel Boon, the director of artistic planning, asked me what I’d like to play for my next engagement. I immediately suggested the Walton. I had no idea that the composer’s ‘Portsmouth Point’ overture would also be on the program.”
Isserlis is a personable, witty and accomplished artist whose eclectic repertoire reflects his inquiring mind. Whether playing Bach, Britten, Dvorak or Debussy, his introspective approach enhances the composer’s goals. The Walton Cello Concerto, inspired by the composer’s wife, expresses the beauty, dreamy melancholy and often surprising discoveries one might encounter in Italy, where he spent his later life. A fan of jazz and blues, he incorporated both in this work.
| Onstage |
| Cellist Steven Isserlis performs William Walton’s Cello Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra |
| Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall |
| When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday |
| Info: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org |
When Isserlis is not performing as soloist with major orchestras worldwide on one of his three priceless instruments, he is never happier than when planning or performing in chamber music festivals. His unique, highly praised sound is a product of his thoughtful phrasing and often his use of gut strings.
“When I was growing up, gut strings were not so unusual,” he said. “I don’t always use them. For me, it’s simply a case of which works better in a particular piece, gut or steel. Because of my temptation to play too softly, gut can be a better choice.”
Isserlis is not only an outstanding musician, but also a clever author of books for children about famous composers (“Why Beethoven Threw the Stew” and “Why Handel Waggled His Wig”) and three children’s stories set to music.
“I was inspired to write them for my son when he was a little boy because I couldn’t find any books like them to interest children in music,” he said. “Now he’s grown and studying filmmaking at Rochester Institute of Technology, so I may not write any more stories about composers. I write a number of articles, but my most important project at present is a photo book for my father’s 94th birthday, the story of his life.”
