Elizabeth de la Porte

Elizabeth de la Porte FRCM (15 September 1941 – 9 April 2020) was a South African harpsichordist, Baroque tutor and pianist.

She was renowned for bringing to her performances a rhythmic drive and excitement while allowing the instrument to sing, with extraordinary seamless and legato lines and expressive phrasing.

She was acclaimed for a wide-ranging repertoire that included Böhm, Rameau, François Couperin, Scarlatti and Handel, but she was praised above all for her playing of J. S. Bach and his six Partitas for solo harpsichord.

He and Saga also issued her famous record of Bach's Italian Concerto and French Overture (B minor Partita), together with the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue.

Health difficulties resulted in her early retirement from public performance, but in July 2003 she made a rare return, joining her son and his Baroque Group Extraordinaire for Bach's C major Two-Harpsichord Concerto at St Sepulchre's Church in the City of London.

She taught at the London Royal College of Music Junior Department for 55 years (its longest-serving member of staff to date), which she found particularly rewarding and where she cofounded Baroque ensemble tutored groups in addition to individual teaching.