EMI Great Recordings of the Century: 3919632
J S Bach - Violin Concertos, Chaconne
J S Bach: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, BWV1041
J S Bach: Violin Concerto No. 2 in E major, BWV1042
J S Bach: Chaconne in D minor
J S Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV1043
Our Price: £8.77 (£7.63 ex VAT)
Format: CD
Number of Discs: 1
Artist(s): Yehudi Menuhin (violin), George Enescu (violin), Orchestre Symphonique de Paris
Conductor(s): Pierre Monteux
Release Date: 6th September 2007
More Details on J S Bach - Violin Concertos, Chaconne
Great Recordings of the Century: ‘A distinguished series of beautifully presented reissues.’ (Gramophone)
‘EMI’s Great Recordings of the Century is exactly what it says: these classic interpretations warrant a place in everybody’s collection.’ (The Times)
The EMI Classics flagship mid-price series of reissues Great Recordings of the Century has proved exceptionally successful since its launch in 1998. The series has a high-quality and distinctive through-design, with original LP sleeves and the ART logo reproduced on the front covers and critical endorsements from the Gramophone on the back inlays. The substantial booklets offer newly commissioned and authoritative essays (in English, German & French) and, where appropriate, the sung texts/libretto (with translations).
A crucial element in maintaining the high standards achieved in Great Recordings of the Century is the work of EMI’s renowned team of engineers at Abbey Road Studios. Using the very latest technology, they make new transfers from the original materials (78s and analogue tape) and new remasterings (of both analogue and digital recordings).
These recordings were made in Paris in 1932–36. Tully Potter’s notes give us some fascinating background. The Double Concerto was the first to be recorded, at the young Yehudi’s father’s suggestion, and it would prove the boy’s ‘first wholly successful concerto recording, preceding by a month the famous Elgar concerto with the composer conducting’. It was also the last work Menuhin would play in the studio, with his pupil Alberto Lysy in 1992. The second violinist in 1932 was Menuhin’s own teacher, the Romanian composer and conductor George Enescu, who also directs the two solo concertos.
A substantial bonus is the D minor Chaconne, in the first and perhaps finest of Menuhin’s many recordings.
This new state-of-the art remastering by Abbey Road 78 expert Andrew Walter improves greatly on these recordings’ previous appearance on Références.
Award: Diapason d’Or
