Yehudi Menuhin's finest moments...

We look at the late violinist and conductor's finest moments in the studio and on film..

Michael Beek

Published: March 12, 2019 at 12:00 am

AS A VIOLINIST...

Elgar Violin Concerto Yehudi Menuhin; LSO/Elgar Naxos 8.110902 (1932)

A legendary recording, given the stamp of approval by Edward Elgar himself.

JS Bach Concerto for Two Violins in D minor BWV 1043 Yehudi Menuhin, George Enescu; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris/Pierre Monteux Warner 9463919632 (1932)

Worth hearing alone for the exquisite Largo played tenderly by both masters.

JS Bach Sonata for Violin and Keyboard No. 3 in E, BWV1016 Yehudi Menuhin, Wanda Landowska (harpsichord) Naxos 8.110964 (1945)

A fascinating historical document with the added bonus of Landowska.

Paganini Violin Concerto in D Major Yehudi Menuhin; Paris Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Monteux Naxos 8.111135 (1934)

Confident, soulful virtuosity – Menuhin at the height of his powers.

JS Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin Yehudi Menuhin Naxos 8.110918 (1932-36)

Surprisingly modern interpretations of these timeless masterpieces.

Beethoven Violin Concerto Yehudi Menuhin; Lucerne Festival Orchestra/Wilhelm Furtwängler Testament SBT1109 (1947)

Menuhin’s musicality in the Larghetto sings out as if it were recorded yesterday.

Menuhin and Grappelli Play ‘Jealousy’ and other Great Standards Yehuhi Menuhin and Stéphane Grappelli EMI (download/stream only) (1988)

Menuhin lets his hair down – and charms in the process. Grappelli holds it all together.

AS CONDUCTOR

Elgar Cello Concerto Julian Lloyd Webber (cello); RPO/Menuhin Philips 464 7002 (1986)

One of the most rewarding recordings of this English masterwork.

Rossini Overtures Sinfonia Varsovia/Menuhin Sony Classical (download/stream only) (1998)

Menuhin convinces at the helm of the ensemble he helped found in 1984.

ON FILM

The Violin of the Century Directed by Bruno Monsaingeon EuroArts 207 5014 (1994)

A searching film that gets right to the heart of Yehudi Menuhin’s genius.

Menuhin: A Family Portrait Directed by Tony Palmer Tony Palmer Films TPDVD120 (2009)

Tony Palmer’s film is a gripping examination of Menuhin’s tangled personal life.

PLUS

Scour the internet, and you can pick up DVD copies of the films Yehudi Menuhin: Concert Magic (1948) and Yehudi Menuhin – The Swiss Years (2006). Both are highly recommended.

Yehudi Menuhin featured strongly in our list of the 20 greatest violinists of all time.

Michael Beek

Reviews Editor, BBC Music Magazine

Michael is the Reviews Editor of BBC Music Magazine. He looks after the 26 pages of recording and book reviews in the magazine each month, deciding what will be reviewed – no easy task with so much being sent in for consideration! Michael joined the team in 2018, following ten years as a freelance film music journalist and fifteen years at St George's Bristol. Film and television music is his favourite thing, and when he’s not listening to things to be reviewed in the mag, Michael loves nothing more than to listen to the music of John Williams and James Horner – his favourite film composers. He was the Editor of MusicfromtheMovies.com and has written for the BBC Proms, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Albert Hall, Hollywood in Vienna and Silva Screen Records. His favourite writing gigs so far have been programmes for each of the Doctor Who Proms, soundtrack album notes for Doctor Who – Series 4 and Torchwood – Children of Earth, plus programmes and features for live concert screenings of Jurassic Park, Gladiator, Back to the Future and Raiders of the Lost Ark. While he never got the chance to interview the late James Horner, Michael was delighted to spend an hour on the phone with John Williams for the 2020 Christmas issue of BBC Music Magazine. Also a presenter, Michael has hosted concerts and live events for Bristol Film Festival and St George's Bristol, plus Debbie Wiseman's ‘Music and Words from Wolf Hall’ shows at venues across the UK. Michael has worked regularly with Debbie Wiseman over the years, writing concert programmes and scripts (for Terry Wogan and Simon Bates) and producing her 2011 album Piano Stories.
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