Jacqueline du Pré facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jacqueline du Pré OBE
Du Pré with the Davidov Stradivarius cello and Daniel Barenboim (date unknown)
Background information
Birth name	Jacqueline Mary du Pré
Born	(1945-01-26)26 January 1945 Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Died	19 October 1987(1987-10-19) (aged 42) London, England
Genres	Classical
Occupation(s)	Cellist
Instruments	Cello
Years active	1961–1973

Sculpture of du Pré by Drago Marin Cherina

Jacqueline Mary du Pré (born January 26, 1945 – died October 19, 1987) was a famous British cellist. Even though her career was short, she became very popular and is still seen as one of the greatest cellists ever.

Sadly, her career ended when she was only 28 years old because she developed multiple sclerosis, a serious illness. She passed away 14 years later at the age of 42.

Early Life and Learning

Jacqueline du Pré was born in Oxford, England. Her mother, Iris Greep, was a talented concert pianist.

When Jacqueline was four, she heard a cello on the radio and immediately wanted "one of those." She started learning with her mother and then joined the London Violoncello School at age five. She also attended Commonweal Lodge and Croydon High School for her general education.

At 11, she won the Guilhermina Suggia Award, which helped pay for her lessons at the Guildhall School of Music in London. She also took private lessons with the famous cellist William Pleeth.

In 1959, Jacqueline started performing in concerts for children and young musicians. She appeared on BBC Television, playing the Lalo Cello Concerto. The next year, she won the Gold Medal of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She also took part in a special class with the legendary cellist Pablo Casals in Switzerland.

Amazing Career

In March 1961, at just 16 years old, Jacqueline du Pré made her official debut at Wigmore Hall in London. She played pieces by famous composers like Handel, Brahms, and Bach.

Her first big concert with an orchestra was on March 21, 1962, at the Royal Festival Hall. She played the Elgar Cello Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. This performance was so popular that she played it at The Proms for three years in a row.

In 1965, when she was 20, Jacqueline recorded the Elgar Concerto. This recording became very famous around the world and is still considered a classic. She also performed the Elgar Concerto for her first concert in the United States at Carnegie Hall.

In 1966, she studied in Russia with Mstislav Rostropovich, another legendary cellist. He was so impressed that he said she was "the only cellist of the younger generation that could equal and overtake [his] own achievement."

Jacqueline du Pré played with many famous orchestras worldwide, including the London Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic. She also worked with well-known conductors like Sir John Barbirolli and Leonard Bernstein.

She mainly played on two special cellos made by Stradivarius, one from 1673 and the Davidov Stradivarius from 1712. These were gifts from her godmother. Many of her most famous recordings were made using the Davidov cello. Later in her career, she played a modern cello made by Sergio Peresson.

Jacqueline was good friends with other famous musicians like Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman, and Pinchas Zukerman. Her marriage to Daniel Barenboim, a pianist and conductor, led to many wonderful performances together. Their performances were considered some of the best of their time.

Personal Life

Jacqueline du Pré met pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim in London in 1966. They got married in Jerusalem on June 15, 1967. They were known as a "golden couple" in the music world because of their amazing musical collaborations.

Living with Multiple Sclerosis

In 1971, Jacqueline's playing began to change. She started losing feeling in her fingers and other parts of her body. In October 1973, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). This is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, making it hard for the body to control its movements.

Her last recording was made in December 1971. She took a break from performing for a while. She tried to perform again in 1973, but her condition had become very serious. She found it hard to control her bow and even open her cello case. She had to watch her fingers to make sure they were in the right place because she couldn't feel them properly.

Her last public concerts were in New York in February 1973. She was scheduled to play four concerts, but she could only perform three. Her illness made it too difficult to continue.

Later Years and Legacy

Her gravestone

Jacqueline du Pré passed away in London on October 19, 1987, at the age of 42. She is buried in Golders Green Jewish Cemetery.

Her famous Davidov Stradivarius cello was bought by the Vuitton Foundation and is now loaned to the cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Her 1673 Stradivarius is on loan to Hungarian cellist István Várdai. Her Peresson cello is currently used by Kyril Zlotnikov of the Jerusalem Quartet.

A special blue plaque honors her memory at her former home in London.

Cultural Tributes

Books and Films

Jacqueline du Pré's life has been featured in books and films. The 1998 film Hilary and Jackie was based on a memoir written by her sister, Hilary, and brother, Piers du Pré.

Ballet

A ballet called The Cellist was created by choreographer Cathy Marston for The Royal Ballet. It tells the story of du Pré's life and premiered in 2020.

Opera

An opera titled Jacqueline was created by Luna Pearl Woolf and Royce Vavrek. It premiered in Toronto in 2020.

Awards and Recognition

Jacqueline du Pré received many honors for her amazing contributions to music.

• In 1956, at age 11, she won the prestigious Guilhermina Suggia Award.
• In 1960, she won the Gold Medal of the Guildhall School of Music and the Queen's Prize for British musicians.
• She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1976.
• At the 1977 BRIT Awards, she won an award for the best classical soloist album of the past 25 years for her Elgar's Cello Concerto recording.

After her death, a rose was named after her and received an award from the Royal Horticultural Society. She was also made an honorary fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, and their music building is named after her. In 2012, she was voted into the first Gramophone Hall of Fame.

Discography

On DVD

• Remembering Jacqueline du Pré (1994), directed by Christopher Nupen
• Jacqueline du Pré in Portrait (2004), directed by Christopher Nupen
• The Trout (1970 documentary released on DVD in 2005), directed by Christopher Nupen
• Jacqueline du Pré: A Celebration of Her Unique and Enduring Gift (2007), directed by Christopher Nupen
• Hilary and Jackie (1998), dramatised portrait directed by Anand Tucker

See also

In Spanish: Jacqueline du Pré para niños