Jacqueline du Pre In Portrait (2004)

The subject of the 1998 film "Hilary and Jackie" and gracing the cover of the August 2004 issue of Gramophone Magazine, the cellist Jacqueline du Pré remains as vibrant a figure in the public mind as she had been at the pinnacle of her career – before it was cruelly short by illness in 1973 when she was only 28 years old. The tragedy of her death is still felt by people all over the world, because this great cellist had ways of touching the heart that are given to very, very few.

Jacqueline du Pré and the Elgar Cello Concerto, a documentary by award-winning film maker Christopher Nupen, explores the artistic personality of one of the finest performing musicians of the twentieth century, with the recurring theme of her special relationship with the Elgar’s melancholy Cello Concerto. The film begins with an account of what she did after the onset of her illness when she could no longer perform in public. It ends, at her own request, with a re-edited version of the original portrait film which sketches her childhood and the development of her musical talent, her meeting with Daniel Barenboim and their marriage in 1967, her special relationship with the Elgar concerto and, finally, a complete performance of the work with The New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim; a performance which has become legendary.

This DVD portrait also includes Nupen's film The Ghost, which features a performance of Beethoven's Piano Trio No. 5. This is the first in a series of Christopher Nupen films on DVD.

Future titles will include Schubert's The Trout with Jacqueline du Pré and Andrés Segovia in Portrait.

Picture Format: 4:3/16:9 • Subtitles: GB, D, F • Sound Format: LPCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Jacqueline du Pre In Portrait

A great, great DVD, bringing her to life. We have watched it over and over. The "Ghost" extra is just wonderful. October 6, 2008

Jacqueline Du Pré: La música del Cielo

Este es un DVD excelente para todos los que aman la Música con mayúsculas, sobre la más grande intérprete de cello. Música interpretada de una forma casi no-humana, algo más había en esta mujer increíble.
La filmación del concierto de Elgar es absolutamente antológica y los reportajes de Nupen son esclarecedores e imprescindibles. Un dvd altamente recomendable. April 20, 2008

My goddess! Just brilliant

Great performances and an historically important set of films.

I'm so glad that this exists. November 5, 2007

TEN STARS

TEN stars...Amazon needs to have a special catagory for someone this talented...5 stars is a slap in the face!!!!!!!!!!!! September 3, 2007

Music with True Feeling

Six stars really for this one. The "Portrait" & the Elgar Concerto performance show how music played with true feeling makes a more direct connection to the hearts of listeners.

The Beethoven "Ghost" performance is filmed in such a tasteful & beautiful setting that offsets any reservations one may have about a performance "staged" for film. The film editor deserves more credit than filmmaker Christopher Nupen on this one; the balance of perspective from distant to close-up shots is perfect, never lingering too long on any point of view, always keeping the attention of the viewer.

The Elgar Cello Concerto performance is brought to life with a passion that one cannot get from listening to a CD recording of this melancholy masterpiece. Friends who knew neither Elgar nor Du Pre' were deeply moved by this film as they watched it.

Definitely a DVD worth experiencing. August 14, 2007

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