The career of Jacqueline du Pré went like a candle that was burning too brightly. She might have been the best cello player in the world if it were not for the early case of multiple sclerosis. She died of the causes as early as forty, but her career ended even sooner. A muscle disease does that to your ability to play the cello.
This recording was released in 1988, the year after she died. It doesn’t say so, but my guess is its a re-release. The recording is from 1967. In 1971 the first signs of MS showed, and she was not able to play as well as she did before. Her last recording was in 1973, after that she had to stop altogether.
It means that this was recorded at the height of her powers. The first cello concerto was performed with love of her life Daniel Barenboim, who she married in the same year. The 1998 biography A genius in the family, written by older sister Hillary alleged she was having an affair with Christopher Finzi (the son of the composer George Finzi) when she was visiting the family’s house. Christopher went on to become Hillary’s husband. That must have made for nice Christmas dinners at the Du Prés!