Jacqueline Du Pre - In Portrait [2004] [DVD] [NTSC]

The tragedy of Jacqueline du Pré is well-known: a career cut short by multiple sclerosis at 28, death from the disease at 42. In the early years it seemed she would go on forever and have one of the greatest careers ever allowed a cellist. She DID have a great career, but it lasted a mere ten years. This DVD is a compilation of various filmed footage from that career. First, there is a long documentary, peppered with musical excerpts, about her life. This is then followed by a full performance of the concerto with which she was most associated, the Elgar. She is accompanied by her then-new husband, Daniel Barenboim, conducting the New Philharmonia Orchestra (as it was then called). The date of the performance does not seem to be anywhere in the associated booklet, but I judge it to be about 1968 or 1969. The performance, of course, is stupendous, as anyone who knows her legendary audio recording (with Sir John Barbirolli conducting the London Symphony Orchestra) will already know. She owned this concerto. She and Barenboim communicate almost by telepathy and one can see them shooting smiles back and forth at each other throughout the performance. One also sees glimpses of her parents in the audience, beaming.

The second performance is even more outstanding. It is du Pré, Pinchas Zukerman and Barenboim playing Beethoven's Piano Trio No. 5, the 'Ghost.' Filmed in St. John's, Smith Square, it is simply stupendous. The three instrumentalists are in complete emotional and musical sync. The second movement in particular is emotionally satisfying. One can see and hear split-second alterations in tempi and phrasing being communicated with tiny glances amongst the partners. (And they are so YOUNG!)

The documentary about du Pré's life includes interviews and musical snippets involving many of the people who figured in her life. She is shown playing cello duets with her teacher, William Pleeth; playing several pieces accompanied by her pianist mother, Iris du Pré; an excerpt from Bruch's 'Kol Nidrei,' accompanied by Barbirolli and the Hallé Orchestra; playing from the Second Brahms Cello Sonata, with Barenboim at the piano; something from the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto, with Barenboim conducting the New Philharmonia. There is an interview (the only thing here in color) done in 1982, several years after she had had to retire from the concert stage. There are interesting (and moving) introductions to the two complete musical performances by the film maker, Christoper Nupen, who was closely associated with her throughout her career and who not only filmed the musical sections but also put together the documentary portions of the DVD. Nupen was originally with BBC but left to form his own production company, Allegro Films, and apparently this is the first release of a projected Allegro series that will include DVDs featuring Vladimir Ashkenazy, Andrés Segovia, Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, and many more artists right up to the present, e.g. Evgeny Kissin. Something to look for, this series.

For those of you who knew and loved the work of du Pré, this DVD is a must. For those of you who never knew her, this is a wonderful introduction to a truly great musician's work. And we will eventually get the Allegro DVD of her playing with the 'Israeli Mafia' (Zukerman, Perlman, Barenboim, and the 'honorary Israeli,' Zubin Mehta playing bass) in Schubert's 'Trout' Quintet. And more.

TT=155 min.; in English, with French, Spanish, German subtitles

Scott Morrison

Here we have one of the most interesting DVD available in classical music. A documentary about Jaqueline du Pre's life and art, joining together some of the most important people in her life, like her parents, her first personal teacher, William Pleeth (her mother was really the first one who introduced Jacqueline into the world of music, as she tells in the images), her husband, Daniel Barenboim and a couple of musicians that take part in the Jacqueline's career, that brief voyage through the cello notes in a kind of magical ships, like her art was, a magician that took with her all those who listen her performances of orchestral and chamber music.

The DVD is part of a large collection of recorded music and documentaries shot by the very music knower Christopher Nupen, who had worked too with artists son great like Ashkenazy, Barenboim, Kissin... Apart from two Spanish musicians; Segovia and Halffter whom I hope will be soon on DVD like Jacqueline du Pre is now. All the documentaries, and this one too, seems to be done with a large understanding of the music by Mr. Nupen, together with a deep knowledge of what an artist is; something very important to analyse them as humans beings, and not like the `divas' others shows in many cases. The DVD is very generous in showing us lot of trailers of this Nupen's recordings, which I hope will be released in the next months or years.

The main documentary is shot in black and white and begins in the very childhood of Jacqueline du Pre, from the time she was a child. We can watch her pictures, her drawings, the first scores her mother composed to her with easy and lovely tunes... Du Pre talks about how much important this period was for her loving the music and specially the cello. We continue passing through her early years as student, listening Pleeth to explain how did he work with her, a girl defined by the English cellist as a gift of the nature, a talent that gave always a bit more in every step they gave together making music. The next years, when she knew Casals, Tortelier or Rostropovich are not very largely explained, but we have notice about them, like about her debut on the stage and on TV, as we can watch in this DVD together with her mother.

As this DVD wants to celebrate her career and her talent, Nupen don't abuse of talking about her illness very much, a multiple sclerosis that attacked her at 28. Anyway, some shots are shown from his last years, images not usually seen of the myth and that shows her still in love with the music, teaching the new cellists how to play, feel and understand the Cello Concerto, that one which is the main in her career. Watching her eyes, the way she regards the scores, the young man is breathtaking, as you can feel how much love is still in her own and how much desire and longing of playing she has. On the other hand, Du Pre is presented like the very fighter woman she was, working for improve the knowledge and treatments of her illness; probably the last and great concert and performing of her life. It's sad to watch this part, but as art is part of life it embraces everything and her courage is great enough to be known even in this way.

The two performances we can watch and listen in this DVD are the Cello Concerto by Elgar and the Piano Trio "The Ghost", by Beethoven, two wonderful pieces of some of her most loved composers (we have to remember her long relation with the Elgar Concerto, I know at least 4 different recordings -Celibidache, Barenboim DVD & CD & Barbirolli- ; like her very well known playing of Beethoven Chamber Music with her husband Daniel Barnboim for EMI).

The Elgar Concerto is her speciality, a mature piece she understood since she was quite a teenager, and which she gave new life and sense in its melancholic and magical style, full, of lyrics and desire of enjoining a life that is going. The performance is a bit more mature of the other CD recordings that I know, specially in du Pre's hands; she shows herself more introspective and technical, but, of course, never forgetting her very passion and romantic style which admires everybody. Barenboim conducting is very clear and precise, and the understanding between them is a real chapter in the history of music. Superb and outstanding version.

The Ghost Trio is a piece described as one of the most impressive documents of music ever recorded and filmed. Based on the communication of the players, most of them by the looks and the eyes, and because of them instinctive playing, the film shows the most incredible performance of the work I know, even better than the recording they made for EMI. Romantic and perfect Beethoven.

The recordings are good for being from that time, specially Beethoven's Trio, that has quite good sound.

In sum, a DVD for not to be missed, a jewel for all the lovers of classical music and specially for those who love the cello and this outstanding and sadness brief artist that was Jacqueline du Pre, a miracle of communication and an inspiring example even decades after she died, at least in her human form.

A "musician-in-portrait" that I finished virtually in one breath and with the keenest interest.

I don't exactly know what makes this portrait so absorbing. But there is a rather full account of the background of Dupre. Both her parents came before the camera and particulatly her mother spoke on more than one occasion and she is so articulate. Du Pre, other than playing the cello in front of the camera, spoke a lot too, almost all through the footage. And despite her great talent, she was so sincere and unpretensious. She was even content to face the camera while her was in her wheel chair. And even by that stage, she was still striving to contribute to music, doing things like marking the fingering for the pieces etc. Needless to say, we see her at the cello a lot. And one regrets that these are all excerpts only. In any event, we are drawn in very naturally.

Her unbringing was extraordinary, so we are told in this portrait. Her mother was a concert pianist herself. Above all, her mother knew exactly how to mobilize her towards music. And there is one clip showing Du Pre playing one movement of a piano sonatina, which was quite fantastic. One must say, had she chosen the piano, she would also make a great pianist too. As a cellist, she was basically prepared by Pleenth. And there is a clip showing them playing a duo, again an excerpt only. And we are also told that she later went over to Paris taking a few lessons from Totelier. There is a very short clip showing her in Casals' masterclass. We are also told that she also took a few lessons from Rostropovich. Viewers have to note that the clips here have much in common with "Remembering Du Pre": almost half of them are the same, and even more came from the same occasions with the same people.

Amongst all the excerpts here, other than her Elgar, I was struck by her Schumann Sonata. There is some magic there that one really needs to check out, especially her fans...All in all, an inspiring portrait not to be missed.