Christopher Nupen produced
his film profile of cellist Jacqueline
du Pré in 1967, when she was
at the zenith of her powers at the remarkably
young age of twenty-two. In this DVD,
the original film has been intercut
with a sequel, made in 1982, after the
onset of multiple sclerosis which put
an untimely end to her playing days
at the age of just twenty-eight. The
juxtaposition is obviously intensely
poignant, and is somehow made the more
so by the monochrome of the earlier
film contrasted with the full colour
of the later additions. This contrast
is handled with supreme sensitivity
by Christopher Nupen and his editors,
and there is not the slightest suspicion
of sentimentality or sensationalism.
Many music-lovers will
recall the 1967 film when it was first
shown, and the insight it gave into
the world of this precocious yet joyous
individual. All of that is still intact,
and there is so much of intense interest
to musicians and music-lovers alike
that it is a treat to be able to watch
it again and again. As Nupen points
out, in her personality as in her playing,
she was a woman of striking contrasts.
That strangely prim pseudo-continental
diction she affected (she dropped it
later in life) makes a fascinating mixture
with her undoubted feminine charms.
There is a great moment where she is
seen striding down a crowded pavement,
her priceless Stradivarius (in its case
of course) carried almost recklessly
through the throng. Two chaps turn around
to take a good look; needless to say,
it’s not the ’cello they’re admiring
– she was a cracker!
But it is the sheer,
unforced natural musicianship that is
most stunning, whether playing a little
de Fesch duet with Bill Pleeth, her
"cello-Daddy" or in the epic
emotions of the Elgar Concerto. Her
approach was always the same – total
emotional and musical honesty, coupled
with a technique that was so fine that
it often went unnoticed. Barenboim is
most revealing when interviewed on this
topic, while reflecting ruefully on
the difficulty for ‘mere mortals’ in
following her sometimes wayward sense
of phrasing.
The two performances
recorded here are priceless; one a typically
compelling performance of the Elgar
with Barenboim and the Philharmonia,
the other perhaps even more striking
– Beethoven’s Ghost Trio, with
Barenboim and Zukerman. In Nupen’s short
filmed introduction to this, he relates
how the young trio stepped in at the
last minute when a planned session with
Segovia fell through.
This is a priceless
document, as well as deeply satisfying
viewing, and it is very exciting to
see the list of forthcoming projects
on DVD that Nupen and Allegro Films
are planning – I won’t list them here,
but if you’re interested, go to www.allegrofilms.com
– it’s sure to whet you appetite!
Gwyn Parry-Jones
Daniel Barenboim, piano, Pinchas Zukerman, violin,
Jacqueline du Pré, ‘cello 
BBC
OPUS ARTE OA CN0902 D [2:35 approx] 