Jacqueline Du Pré (1945-87) ranks as one of Britain's finest 20th-century string players. She studied with William Pleeth and in 1961 she was given her first Stradivari cello, just before her recital debut at the Wigmore Hall. In 1965 she toured the USA with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, made her New York debut at Carnegie Hall and acquired the ŒDavydov¹ Stradivari, her main concert instrument from then onwards. In 1966 she married Daniel Barenboim, her frequent duo partner. By 1968 she had embarked on an international career, but in 1973 multiple sclerosis was diagnosed, soon after concerts in New York that turned out to be her last. In 1976 she was created an OBE.