Isserlis Masterclass: The Right Amount Of Vibrato

Рет қаралды 168,924

16 жыл бұрын

Here Steven Isserlis guides Guy Johnston through his reading of Rachmaninov's Sonata Op.19, drawing special attention to the issue of when to use vibrato. Recorded at the International Musicians' Seminar, Prussia Cove, the full 74-minute masterclass is available to buy at our download store - bit.ly/SchiffRaYT or at our DVD store - www.masterclassfoundation.org/...
The Masterclass Media Foundation films and records world-class musicians giving masterclasses and teaching students. The mission is both to give music students and other music lovers the chance to benefit from the inspired teaching of great musicians and to create an important archive for future generations.
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Пікірлер: 88

@TheYgds 11 жыл бұрын

This was not a harsh masterclass by any stretch of the imagination. Isserlis is giving very good advice and fine tuning this young musicians style exactly as it should be. This piece is easily rushed by the cello part, and Isserlis is really showing this student how to let the cello sing through the phrases. Phrasing with Rachmaninoff is extraordinarily important, without it his music can easily sound like just jumble of notes.

@mshakhz 16 жыл бұрын

I attended one of his masterclasses - he's incredible! He has such a great knowledge of what he's playing. and he's hilarious! :D

@OliviaWilding 6 жыл бұрын

I know that some of the commenters don't think that shouting RELAX at someone helps them to relax, but for me personally, when my teacher does this and taps my shoulder, it helps me to realise that I am holding tension in that arm or shoulder, which then allows me to release it. It does help!

@KABRIS1 13 жыл бұрын

He is more of an, "old school" teacher. This style of teaching has produced some of the greatest artists that have ever lived, and it also weeds out people that too sensitive to fight against the untamed beast in them that the teacher tries to tame.

@kristjan.v 9 жыл бұрын

I would say to all the critics here, that musicians have to deal with criticism every day and there are much much tougher teachers out there. If some can't manage with brilliant Isserlis and his constructive criticism then I don't know how they would survive in the field of music

@danyaradimacher6581 6 жыл бұрын

I love these masterclasses where the mentor is very proactive where they give sound advice on the delivery of the piece to giving commendation and critiquing the performance in order to tweak it to almost perfection

@bethabelle100 12 жыл бұрын

I'm not a cellist, so as far as I can see, my opinion maybe doesn't count. But I have been to adjudications and classes- You know when you're in the company of a superior artist and you do as you're told! This talented young cellist is lucky enough to have had this opportunity and whether he likes the comments and the "beating"( at no point did i see this!) or not, he will come to appreciate the very fair and justified advice later in his career. Some comments on here are just plain silly.

@andymas7969 5 жыл бұрын

Isserlis gave very nice criticism quite politely, I wonder how anyone survives this world if even this is too much to handle. O_O And yes the best way to know how tense you are is when someone physically points out how stiff you feel. My piano teacher would wiggle my arms while I was playing to show me the tension. I would relax instantly. Nothing like fixing a problem in real time versus talking about it after.

@Kwert 14 жыл бұрын

I don't understand how anyone can hear him saying "relax" to the student as barking a command. Look at his face, there's a huge smile on it! Having seen a number of his masterclasses, what he wants to do is open up the student's world musically. He doesn't bash ideas into anyone's head, he just wants them to develop their own, unique voice on the instrument. Variable vibrato, different phrasing etc is what he emphasises, not HIS way, but YOUR way as long as it is convincing and in character.

@MossiMovies 12 жыл бұрын

Steven is a great player and to have a masterclass with him would be an absolutely amazing opportunity. His comments are harsh and upfront; although criticism is always hard to endure, it is essentially the point of having a masterclass. Perhaps this is a small amount correlated with culture; Isserlis is upfront/impatient while Yo-Yo Ma is reserved/patient. Both views are equally important to success playing the cello. It is a wonderful instrument and one that demands soulful playing and love.

@sexybrahms 13 жыл бұрын

He's a wonderful teacher. He says it like it is. This does not make him "obnoxious" or an "asshole." Students at an advanced level need this kind of detailed criticism to help them progress from very capable musicians to exciting performers. p.s. This is Isserlis being polite...I attended a class in which he shouted "Shame on you! Shame on your children!" at the performer.

@rdsabd 3 жыл бұрын

I learned a lot musically from this video clip. Thank you, S Isserlis!

@wmjoca 13 жыл бұрын

My teacher in the mid 1960's used to grab my fingers and squeeze them while yelling in my ear to relax. She used to tap my bow hand (hard) with her bow when she did not like my technique. She makes Isserlis seem very senisitve. This is nothing compared to way surgeons yell at interns in the operating room.

@fingerhorn4 2 жыл бұрын

"Relax" he says, while being extremely tense himself!!

@jamessomorin4704 8 жыл бұрын

Damn the difference in the sound of their Cello's.

@mlunapiena01 16 жыл бұрын

Agreed!! I've been to two so far. He has the most in-depth knowledge and connection to his music that I've ever seen in a musician & his analysis of the student is very sharp on... I still remember that kid playing the Dvorak & how much his sound and concept changed after that... Isserlis is such an inspiring musician and teacher! By the way, good to see that you're on youtube!

@pianoboyo 16 жыл бұрын

Hey Guy Johnston! I love his playing. Think Steven pretty tough on him here - but fair points. Always makes me laugh when someone yelling at you to relax in a masterclass - all it does is make you more conscious you were tense and serves to make problem worse not better. Really it is something should be mentioned once and left (it needs work outside class - not before public). But a very interesting class all the same - Steven is a great cellist.

@herbertwells8757 11 жыл бұрын

I doubt Isserliss is trying to make the student generally relaxed. He just wants him not to tense his shoulder muscles.

@esCX4600 16 жыл бұрын

I am a professional cellist, and while I love classical music, I sometimes get tired of the kind of detail these pro's take it to. I think it is all wonderful, but there comes a point when you ask yourself, am I being expressive or obsessive?

@MMFmasterclass 16 жыл бұрын

Another Steven Isserlis masterclass clip, this time on the Schumann Fantasy Pieces will be posted by the Masterclass Media Foundation very shortly. No more skewering!