The words
Elgar Cello concerto and Jacqueline Du Pré go together
in many people’s minds. This piece written as a eulogy
for the millions dead in World War One was made even more
evocative in a highly emotional rendition by a radiant
girl in her flowering youth. The conductor “Glorious John” had
played in the cellos at the first disastrous performance
and was born to conduct this work as he had done previously
with Navarro (now on Testament). He had an answer for those
who felt Jacqui’s version was “over the top” with a memorable
comment to the effect that in youth one should be full
of life and emotion. The EMI recording made in 1965 has
been regularly re-issued ,coupled with the lovely “Sea
Pictures” sung by Janet Baker, (GROC 5628862) and been
voted top of all recordings. There has been a live version
on Sony (SK76529) with husband Daniel Barenboim but there
are elements in this 1971 recording that some thought too
much for regular listening. Now we have a live BBC recording
from 1967 in stereo and very good it is too. My only reservations
are that it is at full price and, much more of a concern
that over half the disc is devoted to Bach recordings readily
available on Budget EMI (Gemini 586236 2).
In a recent
and very interesting “Desert Island Discs” Jacqui’s husband
Daniel Barenboim chose this recording and explained why
he had been so happy to let it be released .From the beginning
the whole atmosphere of a thrilling concert makes it clear
that as in the studio Du Pré and Barbirolli achieve a special
chemistry. The playing is top rate as is the orchestra.
There is a good acoustic from Prague and all in all it’s
a marvellous half an hour. The rendition is very similar
to the EMI recording of two years earlier with an added
thrill in the beginning of the finale. As ever the slow
movement is poignant and tugs at the heart strings; what
would a 50 year old Du Pré have made of this?
After playing
this I returned to the CBS (now Sony) live recording of
four years later which shows that the reading developed
over the years and this is more strikingly different than
the two earlier recordings. The famous studio recording,
among its other merits, has a “live” feel and, despite
Testament’s efforts, a better sonority. Therefore although
I’m delighted to have this recording I would be pushed
to rate it an essential purchase but hope that more recordings
will be released if they are of this standard.
Placing the
two Bach suites on this disc is a mystery. They were recorded
in mono in 1962 and although interesting are no more than
an example of the huge potential of the 17 year old embryonic
genius. The sound is nothing like as good as on the budget
version (£5 for 2 discs) and the remastering has the effect
of making the cellist seem anonymous; on EMI the sound-picture
makes it clear we are listening to Du Pré. I’m totally
at a loss as to why something un-released could not have
replaced the Bach. I don’t know whether the famous Schubert Trout
Quintet could have been issued but it would have raised
the importance of this disc.
To sum up:
I’m pleased that this has been released but it falls into
the Interesting rather than Essential category
and effectively offers only 30 minutes of worthwhile listening.
David
R Dunsmore
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Jacqueline
Du Pré, Cello 
