Yehudi Menuhin made
four recordings of Mendelssohn’s Violin
Concerto in E minor Op. 64. His first
was made in the 1930s and the second
in 1953 (when he was 37). This 1953
recording is the centre-piece of this
new disc devoted to Menuhin’s art. His
silvery tones and elegant line were
just made for Mendelssohn. He is well
supported by Furtwängler and the
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This
is certainly not big-band bombastic
Mendelssohn, they follow Menuhin; both
orchestra and soloist turn in a beautifully
shaped first movement, elegantly floated.
In an age when large orchestras are
going out of fashion in much repertoire,
is it heartening to hear Furtwängler
creating chamber textures with his big
band.
Tempos are not slow
but the result has a fine, unhurried
feel. The slow movement is beautifully
caressed and the finale has an appealing
lightness. Menuhin’s later recordings
of the work have their various qualities
but this recording has much to commend
it as the meeting of two great minds,
Menuhin and Furtwängler.
The disc starts with
Mendelssohn’s Concerto in D minor for
violin and string orchestra. Menuhin
was responsible for bringing this work
to light. He was shown the manuscript
in 1951 by a dealer in rare books and
manuscripts. Menuhin bought the manuscript,
edited the work and gave the first modern
performance of it in 1952. Mendelssohn
wrote the piece at the age of 13 for
his friend Edouard Rietz and the family
orchestra. It is expertly written and
has much fragile charm. Menuhin performs
the solo part with grace and also conducts
the orchestra; this was his first conducting
credit on record. This recording was
evidently only released in the USA and
just over a year later Menuhin re-recorded
the piece with Adrian Boult conducting.
The final work on the
disc is Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.
1. This 1951 recording with Charles
Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra
was Menuhin’s third version of this
piece, his only recording with either
Munch or the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Menuhin is his familiar lissom self
in this performance with the solo line
elegantly shaped. Though Munch’s accompaniment
is not too overblown romantically there
were still times when I felt that Menuhin’s
serene and silver tones sounded too
spare; I would have like more refulgence
at the peak moments. But Menuhin is
always a fascinating performer even
when not ideal.
This is a fine set
of remasterings by Mark Obert-Thorn;
one of Menuhin’s best recordings of
the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E
minor being paired with a couple of
recordings which have been unavailable
for some considerable time.
Robert Hugill
see also reviews
by Jonathan
Woolf , Christopher
Howell , Em
Marshall ,
Yehudi Menuhin (violin) 
