Robinson
I have been a cellist for 9 years of my life, since I started being instructed in the fifth grade. While I have not played the instrument much at college, it holds a special place in my heart, as it provided me with much enjoyment and opportunity throughout my life. It seems only fitting that my last passion blog should be focused on a world-renowned cellist who has inspired me from the moment I first heard her music: Jacqueline du Pré.
Du Pré’s career was incredibly short, and yet somehow the brief amount of time she performed was more than enough to motivate and influence young cellists even up to the present day. Du Pré was forced to stop playing the cello at age 28 due to her multiple sclerosis, and she later passed away at the young age of 42. Despite this, Du Pré has been regarded as one of the best cellists of all time, with an unmistakably distinct sound that sends shivers down the spine of anyone who hears it.
Du Pré is most well known for her performance of the Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor Op. 85, which is regarded as the finest performance of the concerto to date. The song is not particularly difficult for a professional cellist to play; however, du Pré makes her performance stand out because of the sheer amount of raw passion she channels into her technique. One of my friends from back home whom I met through my orchestral studies performed the Elgar Concerto at a concert once, and I remember him listening to du Pré’s performance on a fairly regular basis. The notes are now forever etched into my mind, and I am continually in awe of the musical prowess du Pré displays during the piece.
In spite of much of du Pré’s fame being derived from her performance of the Elgar Concerto, I have always been particularly touched by another one of du Pré’s performances. My favorite composer of all time is Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, and my favorite piece composed by him is the Dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor Op. 104. I have listened to the piece nearly a hundred times at this point, played by many different cellists across the world; however, my favorite performance by far has to be du Pré’s. Dvořák’s concerto is considered far more complex and difficult than Elgar’s, and du Pré passionately brings out the beauty of the piece with her masterful, precise technique. I listened to her entire performance today just before writing this post, and I was again struck with how masterful she made the music sound.
I think a comment written just under the video summarizes my feelings best. Ralph Berney writes, “Exquisite and overwhelming, because of the talent, technical mastery, hard work, vitality and passionate commitment, in all she did, with her trade mark of never seeking to dominate or control the music, but of finding its heart, the vein, opening it for us to see inside, feel its pulse and flow. A very fine orchestra too, perfectly guided, while among all moves the magic of Dvorak.”
“Jacqueline du Pré was the greatest cellist this country has ever produced”
I am deeply saddened that du Pré passed away so young. Her sister, flutist Hillary du Pré, is still alive today; I would love to one day meet Hillary and talk about her sister, and somehow learn the secret of how Jacqueline brought every piece she played to life.
In spite of her short existence, Jacqueline du Pré continues to inspire me and many other cellists around the world, and I expect that she will continue to do so for a very long time. Her legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all the individuals she has touched with her music.
Works Cited
“Jacqueline du Pré was the greatest cellist this country has ever produced.” The Telegraphy, Rex, n.d., https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/classical-music/irresistible-men-inspiration-remembering-genius-jacqueline-du/.
Robinson, Jack. “Jacqueline du Pré and Daniel Barenboim in the 1960s.” The New York Times, Getty Images, n.d., https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/arts/music/jacqueline-du-pre-cello-concert.html.