Coolsisters of the Month

Let's talk about Britain's fabulous du Pre sisters (HIlary on top; Jacqueline on bottom). Jacqueline was born in 1945 and showed musical promise before her fifth birthday. By age 10, she was studying cello with the greats like William Pleeth and later Casals, Tortelier and Rostropovich. In 1965 she recorded the Elgar Concerto and the London Symphony Orchestra, a recording which established her stardom. Seriously, you should listen to this. In 1967 she married pianist Daniel Barenboim. Tragically she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1973 and began to to deteriorate, she taught but performed less and less. On October 19, 1987 she died at the age of forty-two. She left behind - among other things - incredible recordings, her two Stradivarius cellos and her sister, Hilary.

Hilary du Pre, Jacqueline's older sister also had a natural affinity for music - flute - at an early age, but was overshadowed by Jacqueline. Hilary married Christopher Finzi and lived with him in the country with the family they made. In 1997, Hilary wrote a A Genius in the Family, with her brother Piers, chronicling the complex relationship she had with her sister which included a love affair between Jacqueline and HIlary's husband. The memoir and subsequent movie were highly controversial with many close to Jacqueline disputing Hilary's version of the facts. Hilary stood her ground and in spite of their difficult relationship, felt she had been true to her sister, "When you love someone, you love the whole of them."