About this Artist

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Editorial Reviews

Listeners seeking a "period" recording of the Bach violin concertos should stop right now -- that's simply not what this recording is about. Those who are enamored with exceptional historical recordings and particularly with the remarkable career of Yehudi Menuhin, however, will absolutely want to include this album in their collections. For starters, EMI's 2007 digital remastering of these 1930s recordings is remarkable; there's not so much as a hint of hiss and, although obviously recorded in monaural sound, the tone of orchestra and soloists is quite present and well rounded. Recorded between the ages of 16 and 20, these concertos show Menuhin at the very beginning of his long, distinguished recording career. In particular, it sets the stage for a long list of collaborators for performances of the "Double Concerto." On this album, listeners are doubly fortunate, not only for Menuhin's playing, but also for the somewhat rare opportunity to hear George Enescu (now known more as a composer) performing. Menuhin and the Orchestre Symphonique de Paris both give extremely Romanticized interpretations of Bach, but they do it with such conviction, passion, and vitality that it in no way seems overdone or over the top. It also sets the foundation for changes in interpretation and technique that can be observed throughout Menuhin's recorded legacy. Mike Brownell, All Music Guide

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