Yehudi Menuhin Beethoven Violin Concerto & Romances

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Made when Menuhin was in his 30s, this recording catches him at his incomparable peak. His technique is effortless, smooth, and perfect, but it is his tone that is truly breathtaking in its intensity, radiance, purity, and personal expressiveness. The low register glows warmly, while the top has a celestial shimmer. Playing from deep inside the music, he emphasizes the improvisatory freedom of the Romances, especially the second one, making them dreamy, warm, urgent, ecstatic, ethereal, and almost too romantic. The Concerto, too, has a wonderful, flexible spontaneity combined with a grand conception; each theme has its own character: the passage-work plays around the melodies in the orchestra, the slow movement is serene and inward, and the Rondo is sprightly and full of life. The virtuosity of the Kreisler cadenzas never overshadows their musical substance. Furtwängler's approach is fascinatingly different from today's in its imaginative freedom: tempos change for every theme and every mood, and speeds increase and decrease along with the dynamics, yet these liberties sound completely natural and organic, enhancing rather than distorting the music. Salvatore Accardo's very different recording of the same works makes for an interesting comparison: classically austere, noble, inwardly expressive without outward changes, restrained in tempo and feeling, it is entirely convincing. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
I. Vivace
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Rhapsody No. 2 (Lassu [Moderato] - Friss [Allegro Moderato])
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Tranquillo
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante
I. Allegretto (Scherzando)
II. Allegro
II. Adagio

Tracks:

Romance No. 1 In G Major
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Larghetto
III. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadenza: Kreisler)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Energico)

Tracks:

Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50
I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace - Poco Piu Presto
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante Tranquillo
II. Presto Capriccioso Alla Napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
III. Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato (Cadenza: Menuhin)
II. Adagio Molto
III. Finale (Presto) (Cadenza: Menuhin)
I. Allegro
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo (Andante Grazioso - Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
III. Intermezzo (Allegretto Non Troppo)
IV. Andante
V. Rondo (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato E Maestoso - Allegro Non Troppo
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
Havanaise, Op. 83

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso (Cadenza: Emile Sauret)
II. Adagio Espressivo
III. Rondo (Allegro Spiritoso)
I. Andante - Moderato - Cadenza
II. Adagio Religioso
III. Scherzo (Vivace) & Trio
IV. Finale (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Cadenza
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Di Molto
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
I. Praeludium (Largo)
I. Allegro Cavalleresco
II. Intermezzo (Poco Adagio)
II. Rondo (Allegretto Scherzando)

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Adagio
III. Presto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Largo Andante
II. Allegro
III. Grave - Andante Largo - Allegro
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations.......2004-01-06

The recent trend toward classical box sets focusing on the performer instead of the composer (see my reviews of the various DG/Decca "Original Masters" sets) continues with EMI's new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist." Sure EMI's past sets have showcased individual performances by Samson Francois, Eugen Jochum and Rudolf Kempe to name a few, but it was always under the heading of a given composer's works, and in the cases mentioned above, to Chopin's piano pieces, Bruckner's Symphonies and Strauss' Orchestral Works respectively. Therefore, this Menuhin collection is the first of EMI's "Budget Box Sets" to showcase a performer playing the works of a variety of composers.

As Menuhin was an EMI recording artist for an incredible 68 years (1931-99), his performances for the label number in the hundreds. With so much music from which to choose, this 10-disc set aims "to highlight some of those alternative versions, including recordings that have not been easily available since the days of LP and others that have never previously appeared on CD." Therefore, the obvious mainstream, easily attainable recordings are omitted here -- for example, the Beethoven/Mendelssohn VCs with Furtwangler, the Elgar VC with the composer conducting, and the Bruch/Mendelssohn VCs with Susskind and Kurtz.

However, a lot of this material has been on disc before on titles which the serious collector most likely already owns. Most of the Bach is currently available as part of the Bach "Budget Box Series" title. The Bruch, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Vivaldi VCs were all available in the now out-of-print 2CD EMI Seraphim series. The Elgar and the Walton are still available in the "British Composers" series. And perhaps most annoyingly, the previously unpublished Beethoven VC and Tchaikovsky "Serenade melancolique" (available as a single disc), and the Beethoven Romance No. 2 (available on an EMI Encore title) were both reissued just a few months back.

But let's focus on the positive, which are the other rare performances, the most significant being the never before reissued 1954 performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 with John Pritchard and the Philharmonia. Other elusive recordings include Viuextemps and Paganini VCs with Fistoulari, Lalo and Saint-Saens works with Goossens, and excellent Berg and Bartok accounts with Boulez. Though I'm delighted at their inclusion, of lesser importance is a 1965 Bartok VC No. 2 with Dorati -- his mono EMI with Furtwangler and an earlier account with Dorati on Mercury Living Presence are far superior. Also, neither the Sibelius (Boult, 1955) nor Nielsen (Woldike, 1952) Concertos are truly Menuhin's cups of tea.

My last complaint has to do with the packaging. I know I'm being rather trite but it seems that EMI has taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new box of Liszt Orchestral Works by Masur are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves, not to mention the amount of wasted packaging.

Overall though, despite the fact that "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" is not as essential a reissue as its counterparts in the "Original Masters" series, it is a delightful set that most collectors will thoroughly enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Playing the right notes, in Baroque music, will get you 10% there
Great
A cherished artist, though with declining technique, alas
Yeh, he's still got it
A comment about the Brahms

The Great Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Great Recordings Of The Century - Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos / Menuhin, Susskind, Kurtz
Bach: Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin
Yehudi Menuhin: In Memoriam
Gould Meets Menuhin
Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter

ASIN: B000002SBS
Release Date: 1991-07-05

Tracks:

Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: I: Vivace
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: II: Largo ma non tanto
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: III: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K.216: I: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K.216: II: Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K.216: III: Rondeau (Allegro - Andante - Allegretto)
Violin Concerto No. 5 In A, K.219 'Turkish': I: Allegro aperto
Violin Concerto No. 5 In A, K.219 'Turkish': II: Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 5 In A, K.219 'Turkish': III: Rondeau (Tempo di Menuetto - Allegro)

Tracks:

Violin Concerto in D, Op.61: I: Allegro ma non troppo
Violin Concerto in D, Op.61: II: Larghetto
Violin Concerto in D, Op.61: Rondo (Allegro)
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op.64: I: Allegro molto appassinatio - Presto
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op.64: II: Andante
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op.64: III: Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: I: Vivace
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: II: Adagio
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: III: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K. 216: I: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K. 216: II: Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 1 In G Minor, Op.26: III: Finale (Allegro energico)

Customer Reviews:

Playing the right notes, in Baroque music, will get you 10% there.......2007-01-03

I recently heard "Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor" from this recording on the radio. I was very disappointed. The technique and tone quality and all of that was fine, but the interpretation was quite off. I wouldn't even call this a "modern" interpretation, rather, I would call this a "complete lack of interpretation".

In the Baroque style, the first and last movements would have been nearly twice as fast, and the middle movement probably would have been played slower. As they were performed here, they almost seemed the same. The Baroque era was all about contrast. Echo dynamics, which were so clearly indicated in most Bach scores even when other dynamics were left out (such as the opening measures to the Prelude to the first suite for unaccompanied cello) were half-hearted and seemed more like an afterthought here. One is left wondering if the reduced tempos were due to lack of technical ability (of the soloists or the accompanying orchestra) or just a complete breakdown in musical communication.

I would recommend a more faithful production, such as a recording by the Academy of Ancient Music (or anything with Andrew Manze) over this recording any day.

Note: These opinions are all based only on the Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor.

Great.......2006-04-07

Yehudi played the d major violin concerto so beautiful. The rondo was my favorite, the pause in the begging before jumping into the higher octaves honestly made me cry. This is truley the best recording im my perspective. we will really miss this great musician rest in peace.

A cherished artist, though with declining technique, alas.......2005-12-13

These recordings, mostly dating from the late 50s, catch Menuhin at a low point in his technical decline. Reviewers here haven't touched on the oft-told story of how this famous child prodigy lost his technique almost entirely in early adulthood and had to struggle back painfully (through enormous discipline, spiritual practice, and relearning the instrument from scratch) until he was a semblance of his former self. Beneath the out-of-tune playing and awkwardly slow passage work remained a great musician. But of all instruments, the violin is almost impossible to listen to when intonation is sour.

It is frequently sour on these CDs. The Beethoven in particular sounds faulty. Yet the early stereo versions of the Bruch concerto with Walter Susskind and the Mendelssohn with Efram Krutz are great examples of Menuhin's undiminished artistry, which transcended technique. The 1957 Brahms concerto, accompanied by Rudolf Kempe and the Berlin Phil. in quiet, civilized fashion, allows Menuhin to expand musically, and he has moments of lyrical beauty that are deeply touching. But all the fast passages are marred by intonation problems and smudged fingering, and his technique isn't adequate to the first movement cadenza. Every performance is worth a listen, but I would be cautious about a colleciton of sometimes painful memories. Menuhin recovered enough to play well in the Beethoven concerto for Otto Klemperer later on, and of course there are a series of classic post-war recordings in good, clear mono with Furtwangler that spiritually soar while also holding their own technically.

Yeh, he's still got it.......2005-11-04

I have to admit that in this recording Yehudi is not as sharp as he is in earlier ones, but the fine-tuned expressiveness has not been lost. I would buy this cd simply for the Bruch Violin Concerto, if nothing else, which is a dangerous undertaking to listen to at all, as one is liable to forget to breathe. The Brahms is definitely worth finding a different recording of, however, the 1949 EMI classics is much better.
The most important thing to remember about this album, however, is that Menuhin has never been, and never claimed to be, the best technical player ever. It is his unique interpretation and earnestness that people really fall in love with, and that, he still has.

A comment about the Brahms.......2005-06-26

This recording of the Brahms concerto is one Menuhin made later in life. It is almost painful to listen to. Menuhin has technical problems and sound like he's working very hard in passages where the music should flow easily -- and does flow easily in his earlier recording with Furtwangler. Only occasionally does the passionate artist rise out of the challenged technician and take my breath away -- a passage here and there, but not enough to make it a worthwhile experience. For this particular work, as well as for the Beethoven, I strongly recommend getting EMI's release of the early 1950's Menuhin/Furtwangler performances -- soul-searching, fluid, inventive, and awe-inspiring.

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven; Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos / Furtwangler, Menuhin

Average customer rating:

Choosing between two versions from Menuhin and Furtwangler
Menuhin and Furtwangler Play Beethoven and Mendelssohn
The best of the romantic view
Huh?
Good, but Menuhin was sublime in Lucerne

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven; Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos / Furtwangler, Menuhin
Wilhelm Furtwangler , Yehudi Menuhin , Philharmonia Orchestra , and Berlin Philharmonic
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Symphony no 9 / Furtwangler, Schwarzkopf
Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore
Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
Recordings 1942-1944, Vol. 1
Furtwangler Conducts Brahms - Complete Symphonies, etc / North German RSO, Berlin PO

ASIN: B00000IOBJ
Release Date: 1999-05-04

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D, Op. 61: 1. Allegro Ma non Troppo (Cadence: F. Kreisler)
Violin Concerto In D, Op. 61: 2. Larghetto
Violin Concerto In D, Op. 61: 3. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadence: F. Kreisler)
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: 1. Allegro Molto Appassionato
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: 2. Andante
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: 3. Allegretto Non Troppo- Allegro Molto Vivace

Amazon.com essential recording

Yehudi Menuhin and Wilhelm Furtwängler, born a generation apart and separated by a world at war, were nonetheless musical and philosophical soulmates. Their recording of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, made seven years after they first met, is one of the treasures of the EMI archive, a testament to a bygone era of spontaneous and deeply subjective music-making. There is a nobility to the reading that has never been equaled, an unforced passion that would be difficult for any of today's musicians to duplicate. The monaural recording is remarkably fine, with satisfying depth and abundant detail. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Choosing between two versions from Menuhin and Furtwangler.......2006-01-01

In the Beethoven, reviewers here consistently prefer the live 1947 radio broadcast from the Lucerne Festival over this 1953 studio recording from London. I'm not sure the choice is that clear, however, until one knows the salient details.

Lucerne 1947: Historically, this is a touching momento of Menuhin's decision to appear with Furtwangler soon after the war, at a time when the conductor's de-Nazification was slow and painful. Menuhin's gesture helped to rehabilitate Furtwangler in circles that had condemned him, and this Beethoven concerto performance shows how musically sympathetic the two artists were. Menuhin is placed far forward in Lucerne, his tone bright and at times shrill but nonetheless warm enough to listen to without wincing. His technique is adequate to the piece but no more.

Furtwangler gives almost an identical accompaniment in both recordings, although the Lucerne Festival Orchestra is notably less polished than the Philharmonia in the studio. Sonics are good radio mono. Tempos are the same in both recordings except for the slow movement, which is 2 min. slower in Lucerne. Menuhin opens the finale firmly and in tune.

1953 London: This studio recording is in quite good mono for its day, and the Philharmonia sounds especially warm and inviting. One notes a metallic edge in both orchestra and soloist at loud volumes (I haven't heard the latest remastering, which might have solved this problem). Menuhin's technique is no longer adequate to the part, though his interpretation hasn't changed in six years. He is quite out of tune beginning the finale, with gravelly tone on the G string. In both performances his approach is cautious rather than free and rhapsodic.

Furtwangler's accompaniment has great depth and lyric flow, without the drama he is capable of in Beethoven, however. It's often said that he felt constrained in the studio and freer in concert, but in this case both accounts are quite similar.
After all is said and done, the difference isn't so much interpretive but technical--Menuhin had slipped too far by 1953, at least to this listener.

The final and most important question is whether these are deeply felt and noble performances. Surprisingly, I didn't find them so this time around, but I did ten years ago. Subjectivity plays a crucial part in the role of the listener. I can sympathize with people who feel ennobled by these readings even though they have dimmed for me.

The Mendelssohn concerto from 1953 isn't an afterthought. This was always one of Menuhin's best pieces, and here he preforms it with moderate tempos and the kind of personal expression perfectly matched to Furtwangler's own. There are more mercurial readings but few as emotionally sympathetic.

Menuhin and Furtwangler Play Beethoven and Mendelssohn.......2005-10-11

The thirteenth-century poet Rumi wrote that "the voice of the violin is the sound of the opening gate of paradise." I was swept away by this classic recording of the Beethoven and Mendelssohn violin concertos by Yehudi Menuhin and Wilhelm Furtwangler conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Beethoven and the Berlin Philharmonic in the Mendelsshon. This disk is a reissue on the "Great Recordings of the Century" series. The recordings date from 1953.

Wilhelm Furtwangler was one of the last of the romantic conductors. His tempos in these concertos are deliberate and fluid and the orchestral sound is lush. He recorded the Beethoven concerto with Menuhin in 1947 and again, on the version given here, in 1953. The first version emphasizes the lyrical, gracious character of the work. The version here is more reserved, emphasizing the spiritual, lofty character that many listeners find in the Beethoven violin concerto.

The Beethoven concerto is remarkable for its breadth and spaciousness and for the opportunity it accords for interplay between orchestra and soloist. The orchestral part is unusually detailed and elaborate and much of the violin part, especially in the opening movement, is filigree and embroidery in the highest register of the instrument around the orchestral themes. There are beautiful melodies in this work together with dramatic passages. In the first movement, the new listener should focus on how the opening five-beats of the tympani come to pervade the entire movement. The second movement is a theme and variations with two deeply-moving and reflective interludes for the violin. For many listeners, this movement is the climax of the entire work. The third movement is a lively rondo, more unbuttoned than the first two movements, with a great deal of variety and a lively coda.

Joseph Joachim, the 19th century violinist who championed both the Beethoven and the Mendelssohn concertos, among many others, said in 1906 (celebrating his 75th birthday) that "the greatest, the most uncompromising" of the violin concerto's was Beethoven's but that "the most inward, the heart's jewel" is Mendelssohn's". Furtwangler and Menuin's rendition of this most-frequently played of the violin concertos brought Joachim's words home for me.

Unlike the Beethoven concerto, the soloist is almost always at the center of attention in the Mendelssohn. Menuhin plays with lyricism and passion -- this work is much more than a series of pretty tunes. The orchestral part is detailed and developed, if subordinate to the soloist, and Furtwangler and the Berlin Philharmonic are equal partners to Menuhin's playing. This work is in three connected movements. In the opening, the new listener should focus on the long cadenza for the violin which Mendelssohn places following the development rather than in its usual place before the coda. The transition passages between the first and the second movement and the second and the third also are of great importance in this work. The second movement consists of a long songlike theme and the third movement is a light Mendelssohn scherzo. The performance here brings out the depths of this concerto.

This modestly-priced CD is an ideal way for the new listener to get to know two masterpieces for the violin concerto -- and two of the great works of music. The quotations I used earlier in the review are taken from the discussion of the Beethoven and Mendelssohn concertos in Michal Steinberg's book, "The Concerto: A Listener's Guide." Listeners interested in exploring the concerto literature will enjoy reading Steinberg's book.

Robin Friedman

The best of the romantic view.......2005-05-28

I first encountered this recording in a blue box of LPs imported from Germany by Odeon; simply entitled "Furtwangler", the box contains Beethoven's 3rd and 5th symphonies in the Vienna Philharmonic studio version; the Bayreuth version of the 9th; and the Emperor Concerto with Edwin Fischer and the Violin Concerto with Menuhin, both with the Philharmonia. The set was reprocessed by German Electrola in "Breitklang", which was a "space-opening" technology just this side of fake stereo. For at least a year I listened to the Menuhin record without much feeling one way or the other. Then one day I flipped the "mono" switch on my amplifier. All of a sudden, the fake "noise" that infected Menuhin's tone was gone, and there was his remarkable, sweet, luminous tone, a rare sound that shines from the inside. I was enthralled. I listened spellbound to one of the most personal, communicative renditions of this great piece I'd ever heard.

This is a lovely rendition, a bit more detached than the earlier Luzerne collaboration of these two great artists, perhaps less passionate but with a compensating spiritual depth. Menuhin may not have been the virtuoso he was 7 years earlier, but he still had most of his technique and sound intact. Yes, there are intonation problems, especially in the opening of the first movement. But we are a far distance from the Menuhin who sounded like he was struggling, with persistent intonation, bowing and phrasing problems and a tone which sounded increasing frayed. He might not be here the incandescent light he had been; but he was still a major artist with a deep spiritual insight into this piece and enough technique to bring it off.

Furtwanger, of course, is marvellous. Each phrase is lovingly and plastically molded, the overall structure and balance of the piece is always evident, each part fits inexorably into the whole, and all is at the service of his unique, spiritual (there's that word again) insight. The Philharmonia sounds like his own.

Rating this performance against the Luzerne version is like rating Furtwangler's late-life VPO/BPO studio recordings of Beethoven symphonies against his war-years radio broadcasts. The latter versions of both are more passionate, white-hot, intense; the former are a bit more removed, not without passion or feeling but with a more balanced perspective. Each version has its place, each offers its own unique insight. Each is worth listening to. Each is, in its own way, an essential recording.

You may hear this piece performed differently; you will never hear it performed better.

Huh?.......2004-12-31

I have more records of Menuhin than you could dream of a music fan! I have every single recording he did from 1928 Ries La Capricciosa to the latest recordings of concerti in the box set Menuhin concerto collection EMI. So I think my judgement is valid, the Lucerne recording on testament I have and I agree it's far better! Go Testament!

Good, but Menuhin was sublime in Lucerne.......2004-08-04

This is certainly a good recording of the Beethoven, and Furt's accompaniment is at times nothing short of stunning. But whereas Menuhin is merely good here, he is absolutely sublime in his earlier recording in Lucerne (also with Furt), which is now available on Testament. The EMI recording is cheapter, obviously, but don't let that mislead you: the Testament would be a bargain at any price.

Gioconda de Vito plays Beethoven, Bach & Viotti

Average customer rating:

Gioconda de Vito plays Beethoven, Bach & Viotti

Manufacturer: Idi [Ital Disc Inst]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000A1IMLI
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Average customer rating:

Menuhin in Moscow

Manufacturer: Russian Revelation
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000006BAF
Release Date: 1998-04-21

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D, Op. 61: I Allegro ma non troppo
Violin Concerto In D, Op. 61: II Larghetto
Violin Concerto In D, Op. 61: III Rondo ( Allegro )
D Minor Partita: Chaconne
Concerto For Two Violins And Strings In D Minor: I Vivace
Concerto For Two Violins And Strings In D Minor: II Largo ma non tanto
Concerto For Two Violins And Strings In D Minor: III Allegro

Average customer rating:

The best!
A Tribute to Yehudi Menuhin
Menuhin's only Tchaikovsky Concerto

Yehudi Menuhin: In Memoriam

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Gould Meets Menuhin
Bruch, Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos [Includes DVD: Rare Performance of Menuhin on Film]
The Great Violin Concertos
The Art of Violin

ASIN: B00000JLFL
Release Date: 1999-07-20

Tracks:

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, op.35: Allegro moderato-Moderato assai
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, op.35: Canzonetta. Andante-attacca:
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, op.35: Finale. Allegro vivacissimo
Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, op.30 No. 2: Allegro con brio
Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, op.30 No. 2: Adagio cantabile
Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, op.30 No. 2: Scherzo. Allegro-Trio
Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, op.30 No. 2: Finale. Allegro-Presto
Rondo in G Major: Allegro

Tracks:

Sonata no. 5 in F major, op.24 'Sptring': Allegro
Sonata no. 5 in F major, op.24 'Sptring': Adagio molto espressivo
Sonata no. 5 in F major, op.24 'Sptring': Scherzo.
Sonata no. 5 in F major, op.24 'Sptring': Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo
Sonata no.9 in A Major, op.47 'Kreutzer': Adagio sostenuto
Sonata no.9 in A Major, op.47 'Kreutzer': Andante con Variazioni I-V
Sonata no.9 in A Major, op.47 'Kreutzer': Finale.Presto

Customer Reviews:

The best!.......2007-01-13

These two CDs are wonderful. They're so affecting that it feels like having a root canal but I love it -- so intense, the music leads you. The Kreutzer is the best I've ever heard (not surprising).

A Tribute to Yehudi Menuhin.......2004-06-09

This set of two CDs holds the only recording Yehudi Menuhin made of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Sir Yehudi had nothing against the concerto and counted it among the first that he learned and played. Another recording of the concerto had been made with Sir Adrian Boult in 1959 by was never issued as Sir Yehudi was not pleased with the performance. It is a matter of conjecture as to why Sir Yehudi did not play the concerto in concert but this recording of the work is superb. There is a complete understanding between the conductor Ferenc Fricsay and Sir Yehudi, together they have produced one of the most spirited and emotionally deep performances of the Tchaikovsky concerto. This recording was made in 1949 and is a remarkably clear and noise free performance.

Accompanying the Tchaikovsky concerto are three of the ten Sonatas for Violin and Piano by Beethoven recorded by Sir Yehudi and Wilhelm Kempff for Deutsche Gramophone. One of the sonatas on this set id the "Kreutzer" which I had on the original LP, and it is nicely transferred to CD. Also represented id the "Spring" sonata and Sonata No. 7, op. 30 no. 2, along with two shorter works for piano and violin. These performances have a legendary status, and Sir Yehudi and Wilhelm Kempff are among the best interpreters of these chamber works. This is a CD set that is a must for those of us who have admired Yehudi Menuhin over the years and miss him.

Menuhin's only Tchaikovsky Concerto.......2000-11-10

Yehudi Menuhin was recorded Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto twice but survived one here. It was a live recording in Titania-Palast probably. But in 3rd movement, Menuhin and Ferenc Fricsay performed 'abriged version'. I was very disappointed this(I think it must played completely.). And, Menuhin's playing was a little 'oozing', especially 2nd canzonetta movement. Beethoven's three sonatas-5th 'Spring', 9th 'Kreutzer' and profundly 7th-and Rondo are better than Tchaikovsky. Menuhin and Wilhelm Kempff were recorded complete cycle of Beethoven's Violin Works for Deutsche Grammophon in 1970. It was issued by Deutsche Grammophon's '2 for 1' series. Menuhin and Kempff's playing were not so good in 'virtuosic' eyes. But they performed very joyful, particulary 5th 'Spring' sonata. Maybe you'll hear only Beethoven's major violin works, it's a good choice.

Average customer rating:

A splendid view of Menuhin & Baller in magnificent form!

Menuhin: The Japanese Victor Recordings

Manufacturer: Biddulph Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000JD82
Release Date: 1999-06-29

Tracks:

Son No.1 in g: I. Adagio
Son No.1 in g: II. Fuga
Son No.1 in g: III. Siciliana
Son No.1 in g: IV. Presto
Partita No.2 in d: Sarabande
Partita No.3 in E: I. Prld
Partita No.3 in E: II. Loure
Partita No.3 in E: III. Gavotte En Rondeau
Partita No.3 in E: IV. Menuet I & II
Partita No.3 in E: V. Bouree
Partita No.3 in E: VI. Gigue
Son in g 'Devil's Trill': I. Larghetto
Son in g 'Devil's Trill': II. Allegro Energico
Son in g 'Devil's Trill': III. Grave-Allegro Assai
Son in g 'Devil's Trill': III. Cadenza-Adagio
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': I. Allegro
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': II. Adagio Molto Espressivo
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': III. Scherzo: Allegro Molto
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': IV. Rondo: Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Tracks:

Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': I. Adagio Sostenuto-Presto
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': II. Andante Con Var: Theme
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': Var I
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': Var II
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': Var III
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': Var IV
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': Coda
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 'Kreutzer': III. Finale: Presto
Hungarian Dance No.1 in g
Slavonic Dance No.2 in e
Negro Spiritual Melody
Perpetuum Mobile
Spanish Dance in e
Romanza Andalusa
Malaguena
Habanera
Piece En Forme D'Habanera
Scherzo Tarantelle
Caprice Viennois
Rumanian Folk Dance: I. Joc Cu Bata
Rumanian Folk Dance: II. Braul
Rumanian Folk Dance: III. Pe Loc
Rumanian Folk Dance: IV. Buciumeana
Rumanian Folk Dance: V. Poarga Romaneasca
Rumanian Folk Dance: VI. Maruntel

Customer Reviews:

A splendid view of Menuhin & Baller in magnificent form!.......1999-11-10

While this CD is not for those who must hear only the most modern sound, or are allergic to surface noise, for the rest of us, and particularly for younger listeners, it is something not to be missed. Here we have the great Yehudi in top form joined by Adolph Baller, one of the best chamber music pianists of the twentieth century, in a program consisting of some of the greatest of violin works (Beethoven sonatas, Bach unaccompanied sonatas), Bartok (the Rumanian Dances), and encore pieces -- Brahms-Joachim Hungarian Dance, Kreisler, and Wienawski (Scherzo-Tarantelle). All are played with brilliance and splendid musicanship. The Menuhin-Baller partnership sets a standard. Those who have heard Menuhin only when he was past his prime are in for a real treat. Only the Kreisler pieces disappoint (the opening siciliana of the Tartini Devil's Trill too slow for my taste), but no one has played quite like Kreisler, and this is still a wonderful tribute to the great Austrian (Caprice Viennois) as a composer.

Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante

Average customer rating:

Beautiful but bad recording
The Recording of a Century
The Recording of a Century

Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante

Manufacturer: BBC Legends
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

David Oistrakh

ASIN: B00000K2FB
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Tracks:

Concerto For VIolin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: l Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto For VIolin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: ll Larghetto
Concerto For VIolin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: lll Rondo. Allegro
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E Flat Major, K364: l Allegro maestoso
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E Flat Major, K364: ll Andante
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E Flat Major, K364: III Presto

Amazon.com

Recorded live at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1963, this disc brings together three superb artists for two extraordinary performances. In Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, with Menuhin conducting, Igor Oistrakh on violin sounds bright and radiant, his father, David, on viola dark and warm; with great charm, brilliance, and obvious mutual enjoyment, they play to and off each other in questioning, diverging phrases that come together in triumphant, ecstatic affirmation. Weaving a tapestry of transparent lines, they bring out Mozart's mercurial moods from devil-may-care exuberance and soaring lyricism to despairing lamentation. With David Oistrakh conducting, Menuhin plays the Beethoven concerto. Though he no longer had complete mastery of fingers and bow, the buoyancy of his rhythm, the incandescent intensity of his tone, and his deeply personal expressiveness were undiminished. The second movement is simply heavenly: very slow, calm, serene, inward, with a floating, disembodied air, absolutely perfect in tone, tempo, mood, it finally fades into the distance like a dream. His 1947 recording with the Luzern Festival Orchestra under Wilhelm Furtwängler (Testament STB 1109) offers a fascinating comparison. Here, his technique is impeccable, smooth, effortless, and, except for the truly incomparable slow movement of 1963, his playing is no less beautiful in tone and moving in expression. As was customary at the time but is rare today, Furtwängler constantly changes tempo along with character and dynamics; however, he was famous for his ability to make such liberties sound entirely natural and organic. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful but bad recording.......2006-04-20

The violin never sounded better and this is one of Beethoven's finest Violin concertos with the masters playing at their zenith, but the recording sounds like it was done in 1950, the technology now is so much better that it's much finer with a newer recording.

The Recording of a Century.......2003-03-15

This is perhaps the greatest recording of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante around, equaled only by the Perlman/Zukerman recording and even that is a maybe. The playin contrasts two ages of the violin, the great age of Heifetz, Milstein, Menuhin and David Oistrakh in contrast to that of Kremer, Perlman, Zukerman and Igor Oistrakh. The first is a style of incredible freedom, personality and expression combined with aged discipline. The latter, is a playing with the strictest discipline imaginable, yet that of a warm romantic tone. The interpretation of the Beethoven Concerto by this declining Menuhin is maybe the last time the world saw the true greatness of this ultimate prodigy. The playing of the first movement is filled with a drama that touches your very heart, as does the second. The third is a exceptionally classical interpretation. Overall, the Beethoven is played with a warm, remarkably free, and somewhat reminiscent of Georges Enescu. Though there are some minute problems with technique, which many this cold day would scorn, the musicality and heart displayed here is perhaps only equaled by the greatest recording's of Bach's Chaconne.

The Recording of a Century.......2003-03-15

Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Romances Nos. 1 & 2

Average customer rating:

Beethoven Violin Concerto
More Magnificent Menuhin

Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Romances Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Violin Concerto
Brahms: Violin Concerto; Double Concerto for violin and cello
Brahms: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia
Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Septet
Beethoven, Sibelius: Violin Concertos

ASIN: B00005UUOE
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D, Op.61: I. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
Violin Concerto In D, Op.61: II. Larghetto
Violin Concerto In D, Op.61: III. Rondo (Allegro)
Romance No.1 In G, Op.40
Romance No.2 In F, Op.50

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven Violin Concerto.......2007-01-16

A supremely dreamy account of the concerto where both soloist(Menuhin) and conductor (Silvestri) are at one.By far the most satisfying I have heard,either live or on disc.

More Magnificent Menuhin.......2004-01-05

This recent edition to EMI's "Encore" series featuring Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Romances by the great Yehudi Menuhin is welcome indeed. It is hard to listen to this performance of the Violin Concerto (or any performance of it for that matter), and not think of Menuhin's brilliant 1953 mono account with Wilhlem Furtwangler. But as with most recordings, stereo provides an added dimension here on this 1960 rendition with Constantin Silvestri and the Vienna Philharmonic. While Silvestri is not the towering figure that was Furtwangler, he again proves a master accompanist. (Silvestri recorded a brilliant Beethoven VC the previous year with Leonid Kogan, featured on that violinist's now out-of-print "Artist Profile" collection.) The two Romances, also recorded in 1960 but with Sir John Pritchard leading the Philharmonia Orchestra, are the perfect ending to another magnificent effort by Menuhin.

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: Violin Concerto & Romances
Menuhin in Beethoven: Lucerne 1947 vs. London 1953
Yehudi Rules
Menuhin and Furtwangler's prominent joint

Beethoven: Violin Concerto & Romances

Manufacturer: Testament UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven; Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos / Furtwangler, Menuhin
Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5; Piano Sonatas Nos. 8 & 23
The Busch Quartet Performs Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn
Beethoven, Mozart: Violin Concertos / Schneiderhan, Jochum

ASIN: B000003XKA
Release Date: 1997-09-09

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D Major,Op.62: I. Allegro ma non troppo
Violin Concerto In D Major,Op.62: II. Larghetto
Violin Concerto In D Major,Op.62: III. Rondo (Allegro)
Romance No. 1 In G Major, Op. 40
Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50

Amazon.com

Made when Menuhin was in his 30s, this recording catches him at his incomparable peak. His technique is effortless, smooth, and perfect, but it is his tone that is truly breathtaking in its intensity, radiance, purity, and personal expressiveness. The low register glows warmly, while the top has a celestial shimmer. Playing from deep inside the music, he emphasizes the improvisatory freedom of the Romances, especially the second one, making them dreamy, warm, urgent, ecstatic, ethereal, and almost too romantic. The Concerto, too, has a wonderful, flexible spontaneity combined with a grand conception; each theme has its own character: the passage-work plays around the melodies in the orchestra, the slow movement is serene and inward, and the Rondo is sprightly and full of life. The virtuosity of the Kreisler cadenzas never overshadows their musical substance. Furtwängler's approach is fascinatingly different from today's in its imaginative freedom: tempos change for every theme and every mood, and speeds increase and decrease along with the dynamics, yet these liberties sound completely natural and organic, enhancing rather than distorting the music. Salvatore Accardo's very different recording of the same works makes for an interesting comparison: classically austere, noble, inwardly expressive without outward changes, restrained in tempo and feeling, it is entirely convincing. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven: Violin Concerto & Romances.......2006-07-07

Beethoven: Violin Concerto & Romances~ Ludwig van Beethoven is a wonderfull recording of one of my favorite composers of all time. Beethoven is a rare genius indeed and can only compared to a handfull of composers, i.e., Wagner, Bach and Mozart. Mr Mebuhin is an amazing violinist and one of the best that I have ever heard period, and is right up there with other masters such as Hilary Hahn. Hearing him playing is such a treat that one wonders if God spent an extra second on such a tallented muiscian. The problem and why I only give this recording 4 stars instead of 5 has nothing to do with music and everything to do with the less then stellar book-let. Emi were severely niggardly when they decided to release this album and it shows. The book-let is a cheap miserely done thing and it is a shame since it does befoul an otherwise excellent production. Still and all this is a very fine production with an accomplished violinist and I therefore give it 4 out of 5 which is exactly what it deserves.

Menuhin in Beethoven: Lucerne 1947 vs. London 1953.......2006-01-01

Reviewers here consistently prefer this live 1947 radio broadcast from the Lucerne Festival over the 1953 studio recording from London. I'm not sure the choice is that clear, however, until one knows the salient details.

Lucerne 1947: Historically, this is a touching momento of Menuhin's decision to appear with Furtwangler soon after the war, at a time when the conductor's de-Nazification was slow and painful. Menuhin's gesture helped to rehabilitate Furtwangler in circles that had condemned him, and this Beethoven concerto performance shows how musically sympathetic the two artists were. Menuhin is placed far forward in Lucerne, his tone bright and at times shrill but nonetheless warm enough to listen to without wincing. His technique is adequate to the piece but no more.

Furtwangler gives almost an identical accompaniment in both recordings, although the Lucerne Festival Orchestra is notably less polished than the Philharmonia in the studio. Sonics are good radio mono. Tempos are the same in both recordings except for the slow movement, which is 2 min. slower in Lucerne. Menuhin opens the finale firmly and in tune.

1953 London: This studio recording is in quite good mono for its day, and the Philharmonia sounds especially warm and inviting. One notes a metallic edge in both orchestra and soloist at loud volumes (I haven't heard the latest remastering, which might have solved this problem). Menuhin's technique is no longer adequate to the part, though his interpretation hasn't changed in six years. He is quite out of tune beginning the finale, with gravelly tone on the G string. In both performances his approach is cautious rather than free and rhapsodic.

Furtwangler's accompaniment has great depth and lyric flow, without the drama he is capable of in Beethoven, however. It's often said that he felt constrained in the studio and freer in concert, but in this case both accounts are quite similar.
After all is said and done, the difference isn't so much interpretive but technical--Menuhin had slipped too far by 1953, at least to this listener.

The final and most important question is whether these are deeply felt and noble performances. Surprisingly, I didn't find them so this time around, but I did ten years ago. Subjectivity plays a crucial part in the role of the listener. I can sympathize with people who feel ennobled by these readings even though they have dimmed for me.

Yehudi Rules.......2002-02-16

Oh my, oh my!! Beautiful music beautifully played. I have loved Yehudi's interpretation style since I was in grade school, especially his Bach, so it is not surprising for me to love this, too. Better sound quality (recording-wise) than his norm, so I consider it a better CD to own.

Menuhin and Furtwangler's prominent joint.......2000-11-12

Yehudi Menuhin and Wilhelm Furtwangler were recorded Beethoven's Violin Concerto three times. First is here, and second is live recording(with Berliner Philharmoniker) made by RIAS(Radio in American Sector) Berlin. Last is EMI's re-recording with Philharmonia Orchestra in London. First was recorded in Luzern, with Orchester der Festspiele Luzern(Lucerne Festival Orchestra). It was EMI's SP recording but its sound quality is very good in this time. Luzern Kunsthaus' resonant effect was very 'fantastic'. Menuhin's humanistic approach in this marvelous concerto so good. And Furtwangler's accompaniment is very comportable, too. Two lovely Romances was recorded in London with Philharmonia Orchestra(Recording times and place were same as third recording of concerto). Menuhin's ringing performance on Furtwangler's generous accompaniment is so nice, too. Recording of Romances were first CD restoration internationally in this-by Testament.

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