CD 1: VIVALDI

LE QUATTRO STAGIONI (THE FOUR SEASONS)

Concerto No.1 in E 'La primavera' (Spring)
1. I. Allegro


2. II. Largo


3. III. Allegro



Concerto No.2 in G minor 'L'estate' (Summer)
4. I. Allegro


5. II. Adagio


6. III. Presto
   
   
   
Concerto No.3 in F 'L'autunno' (Autumn)
7. I. Allegro


8. II. Adagio molto


9. III. Allegro
   
   
   
Concerto No.4 in F minor 'L'inverno' (Winter)
10. I. Allegro non molto


11. II. Largo


12. III. Allegro
    
    Paul Cocker continuo
    Camerata Lysy Gstaad / Alberto Lysy



Concerto in C 'Il piacere' RV180 (Pleasure)
13. I. Allegro


14. II. Largo e cantabile


15. III. Allegro
    
    
    
Concerto in E flat 'La tempesta di mare' RV253 (The Storm at Sea)
16. I. Presto


17. II. Largo


18. III. Presto
    
    
    
Concerto in B flat 'La caccia' RV362 (The Hunt)
19. I. Allegro


20. II. Adagio


21. III. Allegro
    
    
    
Concerto in A minor RV356
22. I. Allegro


23. II. Largo


24. III. Presto
    
    Polish Chamber Orchestra / Jerzy Maksymiuk

J. S. BACH

Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G BWV1048
1. I. Allegro
   Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director



Double Violin Concerto in D minor BWV1043
2. II. Largo ma non tanto
   Christian Ferras violin
   Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director



Violin Concerto in A minor BWV 1041
3. I. Allegro
   Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director



Concerto for violin & oboe in D minor BWV 1060
4. II. Adagio
   Leon Goossens oboe
   Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director
   
   
   
Violin Concerto in E BWV 1042
5. III. Allegro assai Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director
   
   
   
Musical Offering BWV 1079 ed. Boyling
6. Trio Sonata – I. Largo
   Elaine Schaffer flute
   Members of the Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director
   
   
   
Partita No.3 in E BWV1006
7. I. Preludio
8. III. Gavotte en Rondeau
9. IV. Menuet I
10. V. Bourrée
    
    
    
Partita No.2 in D minor BWV 1004
11. III. Sarabanda
12. IV. Giga
    
    
    
Sonata No.3 in C BWV 1005
13. IV. Allegro assai
    
    
    
MOZART

Violin Concerto No.3 in G K216
14. II. Adagio
    Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi menuhin director
    
    
    
Violin Concerto No.5 in A K219 'Turkish'
15. III. Rondeau: Tempo di Menuetto – Allegro
    cadenza: Menuhin
    Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director
    
    
    
Sinfonia concertante in E flat K364
16. III. Presto
    Rudolf Barshai viola
    Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin director

BEETHOVEN


1. Romance No.1 in G Op.40
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir John Pritchard
   
   
   
Violin Sonata No.5 in F Op.24 'Spring'
2. I. Allegro opening
3. III. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
4. IV. Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)
   Jeremy Menuhin piano
   
   
   
5. Romance No.2 in F Op.50
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir John Pritchard
   
   
   
Violin Sonata No 9 in A Op.47 'Kreutzer'
6. II. Andante
7. III. Finale: Presto conclusion
   Jeremy Menuhin piano
   
   
   
Violin Concerto in D Op.61
8. I. Allegro ma non troppo opening
9. II. Larghetto
10. III. Rondo: Allegro (cadenza: Kreisler) conclusion
    Lucerne Festival Orchestra / Wilhelm Furtwängler
    
    
    
BRAHMS

Horn Trio in E flat, Op.40
11. IV. Finale: Allegro con brio
    Alan Civil horn • Hephzibah Menuhin piano
    
    
    
Violin Concerto in D minor Op.77
12. III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace
    Berliner Philharmoniker / Rudolf Kempe

MENDELSSOHN
Violin Concerto in E minor Op.64
1. I. Allegro molto appassionato
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Efrem Kurtz
   
   
   
BRUCH
Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor Op.26
2. II. Adagio
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Walter Susskind
   
   
   
LALO
Symphonie espagnole Op.21
3. III. Intermezzo: Allegretto non troppo
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Eugene Goossens
   
   
   
PAGANINI
Violin Concerto No.1 in D Op.6
4. III. Rondo: Allegro spiritoso
   Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Alberto Erede
   
   
   
SAINT-SAËNS
5. Introduction and Rondo capriccioso in A minor Op.28
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Eugene Goossens
   
   
   
VIEUXTEMPS
Violin Concerto No.5 in A minor Op.37
6. III. Adagio – IV. Allegro con fuoco
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Anatole Fistoulari
   
   
   
TCHAIKOVSKY
Swan Lake
7. Pas d'action Act II (Andante – Andante non troppo – Allegro)
   Philharmonia Orchestra / Efrem Kurtz
   
   
   
PAGANINI
Violin Concerto No.2 in B minor Op.6
8. III. Rondo ('La campanella')
   Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Alberto Erede
   
   
   
ELGAR
Violin Concerto in B minor Op.61
9. III. Cadenza (accompagnata: Lento) – Allegro molto
   London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Edward Elgar
   
   
   

PAGANINI
1. Moto perpetuo in C Op.11
   Marcel Gazelle piano
   
   24 Caprices Op.1
2. No.9 in E 'La chasse'
   
3. No.24 in A minor
   
   
   SARASATE
4. Caprice basque Op.24
   Marcel Gazelle piano
   
   
5. Danzas españoles No.1 ‘Malagueña' Op.21 No.1
   Hendrik Endt piano
   
   
6. Danzas españoles No.2 ‘Habañera' Op.21 No.2
   
   
7. Danzas españoles No.3 ‘Romanza andaluza' Op.22 No.1
   
   
8. Danzas españoles No.6 ‘Zapateado' Op.23 No.2
   Marcel Gazelle piano
   
   
   BAZZINI
9. La Ronde des lutins Op.25
   Marcel Gazelle piano
   
   
   KREISLER
10. Caprice viennois
    
    
11. Tambourin chinois
    
    
12. Schön Rosmarin
    
    
13. Praeludium & Allegro in the Style of Pugnani
    
    
14. La Chasse in the Style of Cartier
    Marcel Gazelle piano
    
    
    DINICU arr. Heifetz
15. Hora Staccata
    Hendrik Endt piano
    
    
    MOSZKOWSKI arr. Sarasate
16. Guitarre Op.45 No.2
    Artur Balsam piano
    
    
    BRAHMS arr. Joachim
17. Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
    
    
18. Hungarian Dance No.4 in B minor
    
    
19. Hungarian Dance No.6 in B flat
    
    
20. Hungarian Dance No.7 in A
    
    
21. Hungarian Dance No.17 in F sharp minor
    Marcel Gazelle piano

WALTON
Violin Concerto (1939 rev.1943)
1. II. Presto capriccioso alla napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
   London Symphony Orchestra / Sir William Walton
   
   
   
SHANKAR
2. Swara-Kakali based on Rága Tilang
   Ravi Shankar sitar • Alla Rakha tabla
   
   
   
MARTIN
Polyptyque for violin & two small string orchestras
3. I. Image des Rameaux
4. VI. Image de la Glorification
   Menuhin Festival Orchestra • Zurich Chamber Orchestra
   Edmond de Stoutz
   
   
   
WILLIAMSON
Violin Concerto
5. II. Vivace
   London Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult
   
   
   
BARTÓK 44 Duos for 2 violins
6. No.28 Sorrow
   
   
7. No.31 Greeting
   
   
8. No.33 Harvest Song
   
   
9. No.36 Bagpipes
   
   
10. No.41 Scherzo
    
    
11. No.42 Arabian Song
    Nell Gotkovsky violin
    
    
    
BOULANGER
3 Pieces for violin & piano
12. D'un matin de printemps
    Clifford Curzon piano
    
    
    
BARTÓK
Rhapsody No.2 (1928 rev.1944)
13. Lassú (Moderato) – Friss (Allegro moderato)
    BBC Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Boulez
    
    
    
PANUFNIK
Violin Concerto
14. III. Vivace
    Menuhin Festival Orchestra / Sir Andrzej Panufnik
    
    
    
GADE arr. Harris
15. Jealousy
    Stéphane Grappelli violin
    Alan Clare Trio
    (Alan Clare piano • Lennie Bush bass • Chris Karan drums)
    Max Harris
    
    
    
GERSHWIN arr. Harris
16. Summertime (Porgy and Bess)
    Stéphane Grappelli violin
    Alan Clare electric piano • Lennie Bush bass • Ronnie Verrell drums
    Max Harris
    
    
    
YOUMANS arr. Harris
17. Tea for Two (No, No, Nanette)
    Stéphane Grappelli violin
    John Etheridge lead guitar • Jan Blok rhythm guitar
    Pierre Michelot bass • Ronnie Verrell drums
    
    
    
GRAPPELLI
18. Menuet pour Menuhin
    Stéphane Grappelli electric piano

BEST MENUHIN 100 is another release in EMI's highly successful 100 BEST series. This 6 CD set presents 100 highlights from the extensive catalogue of the legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin.

Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999) was one of the greatest musical figures of the 20th century. Throughout his entire life, he distinguished himself as a musician of the highest calibre, as well as an educator, a musical statesman and a compassionate and caring human being.

After making a few recordings of short encore pieces in 1928 for RCA Victor in the USA (the country of his birth), he began recording in 1929 for The Gramophone Company (one of the predecessor companies of EMI) and was an exclusive EMI artist for the remaining 70 years of his life – an achievement without parallel in the history of the record industry.

The six CDs are themed as follows:
CD 1: Vivaldi
CD 2: Bach and Mozart
CD 3: Beethoven and Brahms
CD 4: The Romantic Era
CD 5: Showpieces and Encores
CD 6: Menuhin the Adventurer

The Vivaldi CD includes a complete performance of The Four Seasons, as well as four other popular concertos including The Storm at Sea, The Hunt and Pleasure.

CD 2 contains a representative selection of Menuhin's many recordings of Bach and Mozart, including Bach's Concerto for Violin and Oboe with Leon Goossens that enjoyed enormous success when a performance was televised by the BBC in the UK in 1962. The violin concertos of Beethoven and Brahms were among the cornerstones of Menuhin's repertoire.

CD 3 includes substantial extracts from both of these concertos, as well as other popular pieces by the two composers.

CD 4 includes extracts from some of Menuhin's most successful concerto recordings, including those of Mendelssohn, Bruch and Paganini. The disc ends with the conclusion of Elgar's Violin Concerto, recorded in 1932 under the baton of the composer – one of the most famous recordings ever made.

CD 5 is devoted to showpieces and encores by composers such as Bazzini, Kreisler, Sarasate, Brahms and Paganini. These recordings, made in the 1930s, show the young Menuhin at the height of his technical powers.

Menuhin was always interested in new works, many of which were commissioned for him, and CD 6 includes several examples of such pieces. He also loved to explore different styles of music as exemplified by his collaborations with the Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar and the French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli heard here as well.