“Her ability to communicate her art to her audience was uncanny. Besides her flawless and effortless technique, her command of an enormous array of colours was quite phenomenal,” says the great violinist Itzhak Perlman, who knew du Pré well. Perlman’s words are borne out by this recital of popular works, in which du Pré’s partners include guitarist John Williams and pianist Gerald Moore.

“Jackie was always the most exciting cellist,” Yo-Yo Ma, du Pré’s fellow-cellist, has said. “It would be hard to think of another  that took as many risks as she did … There is no other artist who can transfer that sense of excitement onto vinyl.” Here, with Daniel Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, du Pré performs the most widely-loved of all cello concertos, Dvořák’s lyrical and stirring epic.

“[The Schumann] has that kind of spontaneous  freedom of line that made her account of the Elgar so famous. Her delicacy of response in the slow movement is matched by a romantic flair which carries the outer movements along so admirably. Barenboim directs a sympathetic accompaniment, following her subtle manipulation of  rubato with complete understanding.” -Gramophone