Few musicians have left a mark as indelible as Jacqueline du Pré. In this TWoA listening feature, Christina Ezrahi revisits du Pré’s iconic interpretation of Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, conducted by Daniel Barenboim. Instinctive, emotionally raw, and deeply human, the performance captures the essence of an artist whose playing continues to move listeners decades on.

Can music respond to violence when words fall short? In this TWoA essay, Christina Ezrahi reflects on The Sad Park, a haunting work by Michael Gordon composed in response to 9/11. Built from children’s recorded voices and performed by the Kronos Quartet, the piece transforms memory, innocence, and grief into sound—asking how art can bear witness to trauma without explanation or spectacle.

One of the most moving works in the cello repertoire nearly vanished under Nazi rule. In this TWoA essay, Christina Ezrahi traces the extraordinary history of Max Bruch’s Kol Nidrei, a composition rooted in Jewish liturgy that was later banned by the Nazis who falsely believed its composer to be Jewish. A reflection on music, memory, and survival in the shadow of persecution.

In moments of loss, music can become an act of remembrance and resistance. Editor Christina Ezrahi turns to the songs of Queen Liliʻuokalani, Hawaii’s last sovereign ruler, whose compositions preserved language, identity, and hope in the face of colonisation and exile. Written in freedom and in imprisonment, her music continues to resonate as a testament to cultural resilience and dignity.