Written in the wake of the First World War, the strains of Elgar’s Cello Concerto are laden with pathos and passion. And it was conveyed with due sensitivity by Britain’s pre-eminent cellist Steve Isserlis, performing in the middle of a concert at The Sage Gateshead. Where some performers throw themselves physically into the work, Isserlis was a picture of studied concentration as he delivered an unfussy account. The refinement of his reading was crowned by intuitive and sensitive backing of The Northern Sinfonia. The audience’s enthusiastic response was rewarded with encore in the shape of Pablo Casals' haunting Song of the Birds; arranged by Sally Beamish, who just so happened to be in the audience. The evening opened with the Chamber Symphony by the Austrian Franz Schreker, whose was life was recalled in an engaging introduction by conductor Mark Elder. He was one of the most popular musicians of his age, before all but fading into obscurity after being hounded out by the Nazi because of his Jewish roots. A substantial one-movement work, the extraordinary musical journey was conveyed with a sense of purpose, its rich textures given added depth by the combination of harp, celesta harmonium and percussion. The evening was concluded with Strauss’ Suite Le bourgeois gentilhomme, a remnant of an operatic disaster. The hotch potch of musical styles brought out the individual strengths of the players, including some lovely passages from sinfonia leader Bradley Creswick. Elder provided the cherry on the top with his witty commentary as master of ceremony during the final Dinner piece.