Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. 1. Adagio - Moderato
2. 2. Lento - Allegro molto
3. 3. Adagio
4. 4. Allegro, ma non troppo
5. 1. Allegro non troppo
6. 2. Allegretto con moto
7. 3. Allegro non troppo

Disc 2:

1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Adagio ma no troppo
3. 3. Finale (Allegro moderato)
4. 1. Nicht zu schnell
5. 2. Langsam - Etwas lebhafter - Schneller
6. 3. Sehr lebhaft - Cadenza - Sehr lebhaft

Disc 3:

1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Adagio
3. 3. Allegro non tanto
4. 1. Allegro moderato
5. 2. Adagio
6. 3. Rondo (Allegro)
7. 1. Moderato
8. 2. Adagio
9. 3. Allegro molto

Disc 4:

1. 1. Allegro moderato
2. 2. Allegro con brio
3. 3. Largo
4. 4. Finale (Allegro)
5. 1. Allegro ben moderato
6. 2. Allegro
7. 3. Recitativo - Fantasia (Molto lento)
8. 4. Allegretto poco mosso

Disc 5:

1. 1. Prélude
2. 2. Allemande
3. 3. Courante
4. 4. Sarabande
5. 5. Menuetto I & II
6. 6. Gigue
7. 1. Prélude
8. 2. Allemande
9. 3. Courante
10. 4. Sarabande
11. 5. Menuetto I & II
12. 6. Gigue
13. 1. Grave
14. 2. Allegro
15. 3. Sarabande
16. 4. Allegro

Disc 6:

1. 1. Allegro na non troppo
2. 2. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
3. 3. Adagio cantabile
4. 4. Allegro vivace
5. 1. Allegro con brio
6. 2. Adagio con molto sentimento d'affetto
7. 3. Allegro - Allegro fugato

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48455 in Music
• Released on: 2002-08-05
• Number of discs: 6
• Format: Box set

Amazon.com
Although most of this set is devoted to major cello concertos (Elgar, Saint-Saëns, Dvorák, Schumann, Haydn) that Du Pré played so well, perhaps the most treasurable recording is one of two Beethoven cello sonatas with the pianist Stephen Bishop (Kovacevich). Recorded very early in her career, these show Du Pré at her most eloquent, the early promise of a great career so cruelly interrupted. This set includes most of the cellist's best recordings. Too bad it's not 10 times the size. If the cellist's passion occasionally seems excessive, at least it's the right kind of flaw to have. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews

Wonderful! Indispensable! So why only four stars..?
This is definitely worth getting, and Amazon's price is right. Du Pre was one of the greatest ever (Yo-Yo Ma now owns her cello, in case any of you play Classical Music Trivial Pursuit), and I cry inwardly when I think of her early death. The Elgar Concerto alone on this set is enough to justify the purchase price. After she died, several "name" conductors vowed they would never perform or record it again with anybody, so strong was their memory of her. So why only four stars here? Two reasons: some of these performances are with hubby Daniel Barenboim conducting, and they just aren't quite in the same league as the other efforts. Just compare the Barbirolli Haydn and the Barenboim Haydn to see what I mean: both are slow-tempoed, and neither would be my top-drawer choice. But Barbirolli *almost* makes it work, and has a certain perverse logic, whereas DB is just dull and colorless and square. The second defect is the remastered sound, which oftentimes is not very good. Sure these are "historic" recordings, but they're not that old, most are stereo. Still, the sound is flat and clipped at the high end. This should not dissade anyone from getting this set, however. Just don't expect a sonic demo disc. You will get thrilling cello playing across a broad selection of repertoire.

This is her legacy, one we should all cherish.
Those of you who go to see Hilary and Jackie should listen to this when you come home. That way you'll understand where all her passion really was.

She was masterful, pulling more music from a cello than most thought possible. Even the great YoYo Ma doesn't come close, especially because as technically good as he is, he lacks Du Pre's passion for the instrument and the music she brings forth from it.

You get 7 hours of music on this disk set, and it is almost all of her recorded work. Not one minute of those seven hours will disappoint you if you care about classical music, the cello, or the woman who played it so very, very well.

A magical compilation
Widely regarded as the definitive interpretation of the Elgar Cello Concerto, Jacqueline Du Pré's landmark 1965 recording of it is included in this unique compilation. Extending the musical range of the cello repertoire, from fine, exquisite cello suites by Bach to grand orchestral visions of Dvorák and Saint-Saëns, this CD set is not to be missed by fans of Du Pré's warm, brilliant interpretations.