Post by Xanadu on May 20, 2004 20:19:22 GMT
Adey said:
Yes, I have become a big admirer of Miss Du Pre. Obviously I was familiar with the name, and once played the Scheidler Violin and Classical guitar duet with a guy who'd transcribed the violin part onto the cello. He told me then (some years ago) all about Jacqueline, but I wasn't really listening at the time.
It wasn't until I bought the classic Concertos as performed by her, that I really started to appreciate her amazing, emotional playing. It's almost a cliche, but the E minor Elgar Op.85, is top 5 in my desert island disks.
I read the " Genius in the Family " book before buying and seeing the film. Both are fantastic stuff, though they both dwell rather too heavily on the unusual husband sharing arrangement of the sisters. Especially the film. Theirs was an amazing enough story even without it. Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths gave wonderful performances and deserved their Oscar nominations.
The moment in the film where Jacqueline was reduced through degenerative illness to playing a drum (and missing the cue at that) was heartbraking..
I feel exactly the same way, having read the book and seen the film. I was a huge fan of both Watson and Griffiths before, and even more after. Actually, seeing that film is one of my favorite film experiences, I can share on another thread some other time .
The most emotional moment for me, bring me to tears and I am not an easy cry (believe me!), is the part where she lifts the needle on the record player to hear her Elgar. Watson breaks emotionally along with the expression of the music, twisted in her chair. It's as if in that moment, all that she's lost becomes so apparent. One of the most incredible performances in recent history and personally, I have never forgiven the Academy for awarding Gwyneth Paltrow and Judy Dench in a year where Watson, Blanchett (Elizabeth) and Griffiths were so obviously stronger. Really never watched the awards the same since.