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Who is the greatest cellist of all time?
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Jacqueline du Pre is master of the Elgar Cello Concerto

Her interpretation and performance of the Elgar Cello concerto electrified listeners and defines the piece for other cellists.

The Argument

Jacqueline du Pre had a playing style that used body language in conjunction with music to convey the intricacies of any piece. As Daniel Barenboim said, "she was carefree without being careless." Du Pre exuded an energy that engaged the audience and took music to the next level. Her style of playing was unique and gave the music a completely different feel. When it comes to the Elgar Cello Concerto, du Pre is the best to ever perform it. Her style fits the piece perfectly. Her movements embody its intense tone and draw the audience into the piece. Du pre is not just a master cellist, she is a master of art--she conveys emotion through her craft like no other.[1] For this reason, du Pre is the best cellist of all time.

Counter arguments

There is absolutely no doubt that du Pre was a phenomenal cellist. However, her career lasted less than a decade. Due to this tragedy, it is incredibly hard to compare her career with that of other cellists. We cannot make any definitive claims as to her greatness, because we will never know what her career would have been. Therefore, we cannot dub her the greatest cellist of all time.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Jacqueline du Pre's style, energy, and performance of Elgar Cello Concerto confirm her status as the best cellist of all time.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/jacqueline-du-pre-and-the-elgar-cello-concerto-50-years-on
This page was last edited on Monday, 14 Sep 2020 at 15:19 UTC