1726年，安東尼奧．史特拉底瓦里在克雷蒙那製成「科爾貝朗侯爵」大提琴。名琴以一位法國貴族為名，後輾轉進入倫敦皇家音樂學院收藏；2009年起，由史蒂文．伊瑟利斯長期借用。適逢問世三百週年，Hyperion將他以此琴留下的錄音集結為十張CD，讓一件樂器的生命，沿著三個世紀的大提琴曲目徐徐展開。

曲目由巴哈、韓德爾與史卡拉第的巴洛克奏鳴曲起步，經鮑凱里尼、海頓與C. P. E. 巴哈的協奏曲，進入貝多芬、蕭邦、舒伯特、葛利格與德弗札克，最後是英國作曲家塔文納。古鍵琴、古鋼琴、室內樂與管弦樂的不同配置，也使琴音的輪廓格外清楚：低音深厚而不滯重，中音帶著溫暖的木質感，高音明亮，卻少有金屬般的尖銳。

史蒂芬．伊瑟利斯多以羊腸弦演奏，較低的張力讓琴身更自由地共鳴，也要求演奏者以弓速、重量與發音細心塑形。他不把名琴當作供人膜拜的古董，而是讓它在不同時代的語法中持續說話。巴洛克作品裡，線條清楚而富彈性；古典協奏曲兼有機敏與歌唱性；到了浪漫派，琴聲雖能擴張，仍保有內在節制。十張錄音因此不只是名演合輯，也是一幅樂器、演奏者與歷史風格彼此磨合的長篇肖像。解說冊另收錄伊瑟利斯自述、名琴沿革與曲目專文，兼具閱讀與收藏價值。
 

DISC 1 Bach, Handel & Scarlatti Gamba Sonatas
with Robin Michael (cello), Richard Egarr (harpsichord)
Bach: Sonata in G major, BWV1027
Scarlatti: Sonata in D minor, Kk90
Bach: Sonata in G minor, BWV1029
Handel: Violin Sonata in G minor, HWV364b
Bach: Sonata in D major, BWV1028
Bach: Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV639
 

DISC 2 BOCCHERINI MUSIC OF THE ANGELS
with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Cello Concerto in D major, G479
Cello Sonata in C minor, G2b
String Quintet in D minor, G280
Cello Sonata in F major, G9
Cello Concerto in A major ‘The Frog’, G475
Minuetto & Trio from String Quintet in E major, G275
 

DISC 3 HAYDN & C P E BACH CONCERTOS
with The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Haydn: Cello Concerto in C major, Hob VIIb:1
Mozart/Isserlis: Geme la tortorella
Bach: Cello Concerto in A major, H439 Wq172
Haydn: Cello Concerto in D major Hob VIIb:2
Boccherini: Adagio from Cello Concerto in G, G480
 

DISCS 4 & 5 BEETHOVEN SONATAS
with Robert Levin (fortepiano)
Cello Sonata in F major, Op 5 No 1
Cello Sonata in G minor, Op 5 No 2
Cello Sonata in A major, Op 69
Cello Sonata in C major, Op 102 No 1
Cello Sonata in D major, Op 102 No 2
Variations in G major on ‘See the conqu’ring hero comes’ from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, WoO45
Variations in F major on ‘Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’ from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Op 66
Variations in E flat major on ‘Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen’ from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, WoO46
Horn Sonata in F major, Op 17
 

DISC 6 CHOPIN & SCHUBERT SONATAS
with Dénes Várjon (piano)
Chopin: Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C major, Op 3
Franchomme: Nocturne in C minor, Op 15 No 1
Chopin: Cello Sonata in G minor, Op 65
Chopin/Isserlis: Chopin: Nie ma czego trzeba, Op 74 No 13
Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D821
Schubert/Isserlis: Nacht und Träume, D827
 

DISC 7 MENDELSSOHN, GRIEG & HOUGH SONATAS
with Stephen Hough (piano)
Grieg: Cello Sonata in A minor, Op 36
Hough: Sonata for cello and piano left hand ‘Les adieux’
Mendelssohn: Cello Sonata No 2 in D major Op 58
 

DISC 8 A GOLDEN CELLO DECADE, 1878–1888
with Connie Shih (piano)
Bruch: Kol Nidrei, Op 47
Richard Strauss: Cello Sonata in F major, Op 6
Dvořák/Isserlis: 4 Romantic Pieces, Op 75
Le Beau: Cello Sonata in D major, Op 17
Ernst David Wagner: Kol Nidrei
Isaac Nathan/Isserlis: Oh! weep for those
 

DISC 9 DVOŘÁK CONCERTOS
with Mahler Chamber Orchestra / Daniel Harding
Cello Concerto in B minor Op, 104
Lasst mich allein, Op 82 No 1
Original ending of the Cello Concerto in B minor
Cello Concerto in A major
 

DISC 10 TAVENER NO LONGER MOURN FOR ME
with Matthew Rose (bass), Philharmonia Orchestra / Omer Meir Wellber
Caroline Dearnley, Chiara Enderle, Matthew Huber, Vashti Hunter, Bartholomew LaFollette, Amy Norrington, David Waterman (cellos)
Preces and Responses 
The death of Ivan Ilyich
Mahámátar
Popule meus
                          No longer mourn for me