Photo: Benno Rothenberg / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jacqueline du Pré was a cellist, born on January 26, 1945 in Oxford, United Kingdom. Death is recorded on October 19, 1987, at the age of 42. Education on record includes Croydon High School. Listed accolades include Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1976) and honorary doctorate (1979).
My Take
Jacqueline du Pré is one of those artists I find almost painful to think about. Her Elgar concerto isn't playing so much as confessing; she seems to pour her entire body into the cello, holding nothing back. That total emotional surrender is what separates a great technician from a genuine voice, and she had it in abundance. That multiple sclerosis silenced her at the height of her powers, ending her playing career so cruelly, feels like one of music's great injustices. Forty-two years is far too short. I keep wishing that astonishing sound had been allowed to ring out longer.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jacqueline du Pré
- Name (Japanese)
- ジャクリーヌ・デュ・プレ
- Reading
- じゃくりーぬ・でゅ・ぷれ
- Born
- January 26, 1945 – October 19, 1987
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Rooster
- Origin
- Oxford, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- cellist
2. Background
- High school
- Croydon High School
Awards & achievements
- 1976 Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 1979 honorary doctorate
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Jacqueline du Pré born?
Born January 26, 1945.
When did Jacqueline du Pré die?
Died October 19, 1987, aged 42.
Where was Jacqueline du Pré from?
Jacqueline du Pré was from Oxford, United Kingdom.
What did Jacqueline du Pré do?
Jacqueline du Pré worked as cellist.