Du Pre tops charts again

Press, 1 September 1989, Page 33

Du Pre tops charts again

[Records 6k discs

ALLAN FRANCIS

Jacqueline du Pre: “Impressions” 2-disc set EMI 7 6907 2. ADD. Much has been said and written about the brief and intense talent of Jacqueline du Pre, which flowered from the recording with Barbirolli with the Elgar “Cello Concerto” in 1965 to the later Dvorak work with Daniel Barenboim in 1972. After the revival by EMI of some of her best work in 1983 on 5L5Z1546963 the interest might have conceivably, waned, especially with such expansive romanticism. The focus latterly has shifted largely to the immense talents of other cellists, yet with the reissue of “Impressions” on CD, the surge of popularity has once again pushed the set to the top of the charts in some areas.

The tingling electricity which du Pre generated in all of her performances is still as potent as it was at the time of recording; moreover, the association with Daniel Barenboim heightened the performances still further, and there seemed no limit to her powers.

Apart from the highly emotive Casals, Jacqueline du Pre is really on her own. There is no-one else quite like her and comparisons are out of the question; The Beethoven Op. 69

“Cello Sonata” No. 3 was recorded “live” in Edinburgh in 1970. There is a lot of audience noise but the over-all sound quality fails to diminish the youthful brilliance of Barenboim or du Pre. The two main works/ Elgar’s “Cello Concerto” and Haydn’s “Cello Concerto in C,” are typical examples of what we have come to expect from this cellist, imaginative and free-flowing. Recording balances throughout her career were far from perfect, indeed the later recordings, in 1972, when she performed the Dvorak “Cello Concerto,” were inexcusably, poor, yet this and the Schumann should be retrieved and issued on CD.

The importance of her husband, Daniel Barenboim, cannot be underestimated. His was a major contribution, both as accompanist and conductor, rarely heard to such high standards of inspiration. This set is again aimed for the personal “Top 10” of 1989. The Rornjantic Violin: Various artists play works by Beethoven, Ravel, Saint-Saens, Wieniawski, Svendsen, Chausson, : Tchaikovsky. Philips CD 422 274-1. ADD.

This dashing field is headed by, Arthur, Grumiaux who Tinds a pierfect vehicle for his romantic violin in i Beethoven’s “Violin Romance Op. 50” and similar.

Only Perlman and Mutter are absent from this auspicious group containing Salvator Accardo, Henryk Szeryng, Gidon Kremer, who each play one piece as opposed to Grumiaux’s lion share of the programme.

On his shoulders falls the responsibility for Svendsen’s , “Romance in G,” Wieniawski’s “Legende,” Sain-Saens’ “Hav-

anaise” and the piece that epitomises all works in this vein, Beethoven’s “Violin Romance No. 2 in F.” The others make more than token appearance with works in similar style. Daniel Barenboim: “Traumerei.” Various pieces. DG CD 419 408-2. DDD/ADD. Even if this pianist is not to everyone’s liking, he is always good value, particularly in this CD, 72 minutes long. It was recorded between 1974 and 1986 and there is a discernible difference in the soloist’s approach in this period. The dashing quality apparent in 1974 mellows into maturity by 1986.

There is no doubt that the reflective elements in Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata 14 in C” and Chopin’s Opus 9 “Nocturne in E Flat” would not have been so deeply introspective in 1974 as they are in 1984 and 1982, respectively. Barenboim takes some time before he shakes off this mood of near lethargy. The Men-

delssohn extracts from “Songs Without Words” provide some neatly contrived quicksilver phrases that are as much at home here as the sombre predecessors. “Spring Song,” “Spinning Song” and “Cradle Song” reflect the Barenboim of the 1960 s and 19705, when his Mozart too, was full of youthful zest. He studiously avoids that composer here and contents himself with well-known , pieces by Schumann, Liszt, Chopin, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Beethoven. He may be right in the end, as all the works covered are compatible and covered in one sitting without a jarring note. Listings: Weber. Clari-. net works. Chandos 8366’ Rachmaninov / Tchaikovsky. The Bells/Romeo and Juliet. Chandos CD8476. Strauss Gala. Decca CD 425 428-2. German Overtures. Naxos CD 8.550146. Mozart. Clarinet/ Bassoon Concertos. Naxos CD 8. 550073. “It was recently discovered that people who own their own houses prefer classical music, but people in council houses prefer pop. One suspects that house-owners claimed to prefer classical music because they felt they ought to, because it seems more upper classical than pop.” — Jilly Cooper. Class (1979).