Jacqueline Du Pre

JohnR · « **on:** 14 Jun 2009, 11:17 am »

Hello, I know we have many composer-specific threads, but how about a performer-specific thread? Not to speculate about what might-have-been, but what are your favorite Du Pre performances and/or recordings? I think the Elgar must rank up there. And it's not even in my period. Thanks for any thoughts or recommendations

JohnR

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Jun 2009, 03:43 pm »

I think Du Pre's performance of the Elgar Concerto is fabulous. She plays it with nuance and passion.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 12:07 am »

Quote

...what are your favorite Du Pre performances and/or recordings?

This one....

Samples here.....

GDeering · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 03:59 am »

I love her Haydn concerto, but I just listend (yesterday) to an LP of the Brahms cello sonatas and it was too lugbrious. Maybe more recent recordings have "formed" the approach for me, but the record did not work for me. I have a BBC CD of Du Pre perfoming a lot of different odds and ends, the Bach is OK, but she really great on some Couperin pieces - then again I don't know these pieces so I am "unformed."

I have read that the 1970 live recording is better than the studio performance, but then there is the rest of the CD with Barenboim conducting to deal with.

Gregg

mjosef · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 12:25 am »

I have no real favorite (yet)...just the 17CD box set of her complete EMI recordings...which I have yet to hear in its entirety. It may take me at least a year or two of repeated listening to arrive at that point...

Tyson · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 04:37 am »

Love her Elgar, like her Dvorak, am indifferent to her Beethoven. It's too bad she died so young, it would have been VERY interesting to hear her mature over time.

Browntrout · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 09:33 pm »

I feel as if she was already mature. It is something I noticed, that her sound is that of someone who has nowhere to go or progress, that of a person with great wisdom and life experience. I wonder if she knew she was only here for a short time, I think she did.

Tyson · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Jun 2009, 01:04 am »

I disagree a bit - I think for a piece that is as "heart on sleeve" as the Elgar, she was temperamentally well suited to it (the Dvorak Cello Concerto too), but for other works she was less satisfying, such as Beethoven or Brahms. Sure, it's chamber music she's doing in those composers, but still a valid criticism.

In fact, Rostropivich once said something similar when an interviewer asked him why he never recorded the Elgar. Something along the lines that he could never play it as well as du Pre, given their different temperaments and life experiences.

doorman · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Jun 2009, 02:20 am »

Her release (on Teldec) of the Saint-Saens cello concerto and Dvorak cello concerto is one I keep coming back to.
Don

Browntrout · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Jun 2009, 08:02 pm »

I thought that it was her interpretation of Elgar that was different to all previous ones before. I thought that when Elgar conducted it it was not anywhere near as emotional or romantic or powerfull as when she played it.
Am I wrong in thinking this? I might have conjured this from nowhere? I remember listening to Elgar conducting the piece and thinking it was restricted in comparison but then he wrote it, strange for someone to write something and perceive it in one way and another to read his writings and perceive it in so much more depth than the author. That can happen, you don't realise how great your own genius is until somene else puts a new slant on it.
If I am misstaken in this then please disregard the above.

P.S Tyson I'm going to the Isle of Skye next week for a walking/camping/fishing/whisky tasting holiday. Any recomendations? aa

Tyson · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Jun 2009, 08:30 pm »

Hell yeah - as much Talisker as you can get

The older the better. Talisker is one of the few scotches that is universally better the older it gets. Have fun

Browntrout · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Jun 2009, 03:58 pm »

If my friend is up for it I shall book a 'Tasting Tour' of their distillery at the begining of the trip. Looking at the prices of the twenty five year old I doubt I'll be drinking too much of that! Anyway apologies for the off topic post.

andyr · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Sep 2009, 06:30 am »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 14 Jun 2009, 03:43 pm

I think Du Pre's performance of the Elgar Concerto is fabulous. She plays it with nuance and passion.

I agree with you, Jim - it's the only version I care to listen to.

But I would say (rather than just "playing with passion") she plays like she's raping the cello!

Regards,

Andy