Jacqueline du Pré was a musical phenomenon. Her 1965 recording of Elgar's Cello Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra and Barbirolli is still regarded as one of the greatest classical recordings ever made, she was 20 at the time. Du Pré and her husband Daniel Barenboim were part of a group of outstanding young musicians which also included Pinchas Zukerman, Zubin Mehta and Itzhak Perlman, who frequently performed and collaborated with each other. Du Pré was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1973, the condition blighted the rest of her life, and she died at the age of 42 on October 19, 1987. 

Christopher Nupen produced several classic documentary films about Jacqueline du Pré while she was at the peak of her powers. A new film 'Jacqueline du Pré: a gift beyond words', which has been produced to mark the 30th anniversary of her death, will be shown on BBC Four on Sunday, October 22 at 8pm. We are pleased to present an exclusive extract from the film below: