This week, I had the honor of doing a blog post swap with a friend of mine! Julie from The Moonlight Wanderer did a lovely job writing the following article on the life Jacqueline du Pré, a remarkable cellist whose life was cut short by a saddening illness.
After reading Julie's post, you can head over to her blog and read the post that I wrote for her on an important subject to me. The article is called "The Beauty of Sailing: Embracing the Slow Journey" and details how a sailboat helped me with a recent struggle in my life. You can read that article here. (By the way, I would never have been able to think up of that lovely title. Credit mostly to Julie!)
Without further ado...
Julie's post on du Pré.
"The first video I saw of Jacqueline du Pré’s performances was Saint-Saëns’s Allegro Appassionato. I was twelve years old, very angry at myself, and very frustrated. I was just starting to learn the cello; my music was clumsy, out-of-tune, and dissonant. Just before, I had gotten a lecture from my teacher about me not practicing enough. You might understand, then, when my sister called me over to watch a video of a “young cello prodigy,” why I went grudgingly.
But as I watched the black and white video of the talented young girl playing, my resentment faltered. The way her hand danced over the fingerboard, the way notes flowed, the depth of the emotion, how she poured herself into her music. . . I was filled with awe and wonder. After the video finished, I asked to watch it again – and again.
From that day onward, Jacqueline du Pré has continued to remind me why we play – not merely to impress, but to inspire; not merely to play, but to be a part of the music, to have sound and heart melded into one.
Not only is du Pré’s music heartfelt and moving, so also was her life. Today, I will share her story with you, from its beginning to its tragic end.
Jacqueline du Pré was born on January 26, 1945, in Oxford, England, to Iris and Derek du Pré. At the age of five, she began studying the cello under the guidance of her mother, a professional cellist. As she grew, it quickly became clear that young du Pré had extraordinary musical abilities, and her deep love and commitment to the instrument manifested.
At the age of sixteen, du Pré made her dazzling professional debut in Wigmore Hall, London. She performed several well-known sonatas by composers Brahms, Handel, Falla, and Debussy. Her performance was met with significant accalim and enthusiasm, and the audience was impressed by her depth of her skill and the expressiveness of her music, despite her young age. She continued performing around Europe throughout her teenage years, showcasing her extraordinary talent.
Du Pré's rise to international fame came at the age of twenty, with her 1965 recording of Elgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor with the London Symphony Orchestra. The recording became one of the defining interpretations of the 20th century. Her performance of Elgar's concerto was celebrated widely for its poignant expressiveness and intense emotional depth, capturing the spirit of the work in a way that touched hearts around the world. This recording launched her international career, and, at just twenty years old, Du Pré was established as one of the leading cellists of her time.
Jacqueline du Pré's career was marked by a series of triumphant performances and recordings. She performed with many prominent orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony. Her dynamic stage presence and her ability to convey deep emotion through her instrument made her a beloved figure in the classical music world.
At the age of twenty-three, du Pré married the renowned classical pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. Together, they performed and impressed audiences around the world.
Despite her flourishing success, du Pré's career was tragically cut short in 1973 after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system. This disease posed numerous physical challenges, including pain, fatigue, weakness, muscle spasm, loss of motor skills, and coordination impairment.
Not only was this physically hard on du Pré, the disease also took a heavy toll on her emotionally. As the condition rapidly worsened, she lost feeling in both her hands and could no longer play her cello. This loss, and the loss of her career, was deeply distressing to the young musician, causing intense personal anguish and frustration.
On October 19, 1987, at the age of 42, Jacqueline du Pré passed away.
Yet, though her career was brief, her legacy lives on through her recordings, which continue to inspire and move audiences. Her passionate performances and the emotional depth she brought to her interpretations leave behind a lasting legacy, inspiring music lovers young and old, and cementing her in place as one of the greatest cellists in history."
Be sure to head over to her blog, The Moonlight Wanderer, where you can read the rest of her wonderful posts.
Thanks for reading!
That was beautiful and so sad that her career and joy ended so soon.
This was so much fun, Autumn! I'm honored to write for your blog. :)
-Julie
This was a great post! It was a very neat, and interesting story, though sad. Well done!