Tuesday 20 October 2009

Jacqueline du Pré remembered


Jacqueline du Pré passed away 22 years ago yesterday. She'd been ill so long it seemed she was immortal. But in a way, she is immortal because she was one of the first musicians to understand how film communicates and expresses things sound alone cannot capture. Because radio and records dominated music in the first half of the 20th century, the art of fully experiencing music was lost, submerged in an overlay of formality and affectation. But Jackie brought back "whole" music, radiating pleasure and joy. She touched millions of people all over the world. Her repertoire wasn't huge and her career was short. She didn't sell out or dumb down. Nowadays the makeover people would airbrush her out of existence. But these films are inspirational. I've seen people watch them who had no idea what classical music was about, and they're hooked. This video clip is the first of six that show the human side of Jackie du Pré. Watch all 6. There's a long bit on Barbirolli in part 2 and a recital in LSO St Luke's before it was renovated in part 5. In Part 6 is a concert where she plays with Daniel Barenboim conducting - how young and fresh they look! To read more please go to the Jacqueline du Pré SITE where there's lots of useful information.

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