The Menuhin Century - Luxury edition

This is wonderful value for money, and the music is beyond wonderful. It's nicely packaged and presented. I dithered about buying it, but now I can't imagine why. A must for everyone who wants a piece of music history, and for those who love the violin. Would make a great present.

I like it,good shopping experience.

Outstanding and musically superb.

Excellent set

Wonderful lots of pieces that I haven't heard before, highly recommend

A bot overwhelming, but a real treat.

Brilliant

In the past twenty years, EMI/Warner has issued several boxes devoted to violinist Yehudi Menuhin.3/4 of the recordings in the new "Menuhin Century" Luxury Edition have been recycled from those older boxes.Most of the new stuff is in Box 3 "Live Performances and Festival Recordings".Box 1 "Unpublished Recordings & Rarities" has some unpublished (on CD) recordings (Bruch, Leclair, Mendelssohn, Paganini, Tartini, Tchaikovsky & Viotti), but most of the "rarities" have already been issued.Menuhin refused to approve the 1959 Tchaikovsky Concerto with Boult for release during his lifetime (the booklet is candid in discussing the physical difficulties that afflicted Menuhin's bow arm beginning in the late 1940s).I found the performance to be wonderfully lyrical and balletic (despite the occasional violin squeek, which never bothered me).The Luxury Edition contains six individual boxes (each with it's own booklet).You can purchase Boxes 1-5 separately.Apparently Box 6 (11 DVDs) is not available outside of the Luxury Box (at least I haven't found it on Amazon).See list 2 for the DVD contents.The handsome 252 page coffee table book is only available in the Luxury Edition.I have three complaints:-- It is not complete. This would have required about 30 additional CDs.Not included in the "Menuhin Century" are Menuhin's only recordings of selected concerti by Bach, Bloch, Brahms, Delius, Handel. Haydn, Mozart, Nielsen, Saint-Saens, Sibelius, Vaughan Williams, Vieuxtemps, and Vivaldi.(see list 3)-- Five CDs are devoted to Menuhin the conductor (annoying in view of the missing violin recordings).-- It is illogically assembled.Why is the 1932 Elgar Concerto a "Historic Recording" (box 2) and not a "Landmark Recording" (box 5)?Why is the 1934 Paganini Concerto a "Landmark Recording" and not a "Historic Recording"?Very hard to find what you are looking for.I wish the collection had been assembled by composer (alphabetically or chronologically), or by genre (Concertos, Sonatas, Chamber Music), or even by recording date.Instead each box is a jumble of genres with early and late recordings.Box 4 at least has a unifying theme: "Complete Recordings with Hepzibah Menuhin".The index in the 252 page book is confusing and messy.Every work is identified by the box number it is in, but Warner forgot to print the box number on the boxes (I had to buy some stickers).Box 1 =  The Menuhin Century - Unpublished Recordings and Rarities  (22 CDs)Box 2 =  The Menuhin Century - The Historic Recordings  (18 CDs)Box 3 =  The Menuhin Century - Live Performances and Festivals Recordings  (7 CDs)Box 4 =  The Menuhin Century - The Complete Recordings with Hephzibah Menuhin  (20CDs)Box 5 =  The Menuhin Century - The Virtuoso & His Landmark Recordings  (13 CDs)Box 6 = DVDs: MENUHIN ON FILM 1947-1997 (11 DVDs)LIST 1 OF 3: CONCERTO RECORDINGS IN THIS BOXI don't have the energy to list all the solo and chamber works on these 91 discs.Where there was a choice, Warner favored Menuhin's early mono recordings over his stereo remakes.(first CD releases marked with an asterisk)J.S. BACH- Concerto BWV 1041 = 1936 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 3)- Concerto BWV 1042------ 1933 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 4)------ 1940 Schneevoigt "live" MONO (Box 3, CD 1) *- Concerto BWV 1052 (after Harpsichord Concerto) = 1972 de Stoutz "live" STEREO (Box 3, CD 5)*- Concerto BWV 1043 for 2 Violins------ 1932 with Enescu, Monteux MONO (Box 2, CD 4)------ 1945 with Oistrakh, Orlov "live" MONO (Box 2, CD 8) *BARTOK- Concerto 1 = 1965 Dorati STEREO (Box 5, CD 10)- Concerto 2 = 1953 Furtwangler MONO (Box 2, CD 10)- Rhapsodies (2) = 1968 Boulez STEREO (Box 5, CD 8)- Concerto for Viola = 1966 Dorati STEREO (Box 5, CD 10)BEETHOVEN- Concerto------ 1947 Furtwangler MONO (Box 2, CD 9)------ 1953 Furtwangler MONO (Box 2, CD 11)- Romances (2)------ 1953 Furtwangler MONO (Box 2, CD 11)------ 1959 Boult MONO - apparently the stereo master tape is unusable (Box 1, CD 10)*BERG- Concerto = 1968 Boulez STEREO (Box 5, CD 11)BERKELEY- Concerto = 1971 Boult STEREO (Box 2, CD 15)BERLIOZ- Reverie et Caprice = 1964 Pritchard STEREO (Box 5, CD 8)- Harold in Italy (viola) = 1962 Davis STEREO (Box 5, CD 8)BRAHMS- Concerto------ 1940 Schneevoigt "live" MONO (Box 3, CD 1) *------ 1949 Furtwangler MONO (Box 2, CD 10)BRITTEN- Concerto = 1968 Kertesz "live" MONO (Box 3, CD 6) *BRUCH- Concerto 1 = 1931 Ronald MONO (Box 1, CD1)- Concerto 2 = 1971 Boult STEREO (Box 1, CD17) *CHAUSSON- Poeme------ 1933 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 6)------ 1952 Boult MONO (Box 1, CD 5) *DELIBES- Coppelia & Sylvia violin solos = 1960 Irving STEREO (Box 1, CD 10)DVORAK- Concerto = 1936 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 4)ELGAR- Concerto = 1932 Elgar MONO (Box 2, CD 1)LALO- Symphonie espagnole------ 1933 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 6)------ 1947 Fournet MONO (Box 1, CD 4) *LECLAIR- Concerto Op.7, No.1 & 5 = 1983 Maksymiuk STEREO (Box 1, CD 22) *MARTIN- Polyptique = 1974 de Stoutz STEREO (Box 2, CD 14)- Ballade for Viola, Winds & Percussion = 1975 Dobson STEREO (Box 2, CD 14)MENDELSSOHN- Concerto in D Minor = 1953 Boult MONO (Box 1, CD 5) *- Concerto in E Minor Op.64------ 1938 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 6)------ 1952 Furtwangler MONO (Box 2, CD 9)- Concerto for Violin & Piano = 1977 Yehudi & Hepzibah Menuhin STEREO (Box 4, CD 19)*MOZART- Concerto 3 K216 = 1935 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 5)- Concerto 4 K218 = 1943 Sargent MONO (Box 2, CD 7)- Concerto 5 K219 = 1954 Pritchard MONO (Box 1, CD 6)- Concerto K271a = 1932 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 5)- Concerto K294a “Adelaide” = 1934 Monteux MONO (Box 2, CD 5)NOVACEK- Perpetuum mobile = 1934 Monteux MONO (Box 1, CD 2)PAGANINI- Concerto 1------ 1934 Monteux MONO (Box 5, CD3)------ 1940 Schneevoigt "live" MONO (Box 3, CD 2) *- Concerto 2 = 1950 Fistoulari MONO (Box 1, CD 4) *- Di Tanti palpiti = 1964 Pritchard STEREO (Box 1, CD 10) *PANUFNIK- Concerto = 1975 Panufnik STEREO (Box 2, CD 15)PARTOS- Concerto = 1964 Bertini "live" MONO (Box 3, CD 5) *SCHUMANN- Concerto = 1938 Barbirolli MONO (Box 2, CD 7)TARTINI- Concerti D12 in C + D16 in D = 1983 Maksymiuk STEREO (Box 1, CD 22) *TCHAIKOVSKY- Concerto = 1959 Boult STEREO (Box 1, CD 10) *- Sleeping Beauty & Swan Lake violin solos = 1959 Kurtz STEREO (Box 5, CD 8)VIOTTI- Concerto 16 = 1976 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO (Box 1, CD17) *- Concerto 22 = 1974 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO (Box 1, CD17) *WALTON- Concerto = 1969 Walton STEREO (Box 2, CD 13)- Concerto for Viola = 1968 Walton STEREO (Box 2, CD 13)WIENIAWSKI- Legende = 1938 Enescu MONO (Box 2, CD 4)WILLIAMSON- Concerto = 1971 Boult STEREO (Box 2, CD 15)RE-OPENING OF PARIS OPERA HOUSE- Excerpts from Lalo & Mendelssohn + La Marseillaise = 1944 Munch MONO (Box 2, CD 7)** First official release on CD-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------LIST 2 OF 3: DVD RECORDINGS OF CONCERTO REPERTOIRE IN THIS BOXMultiple Menuhin documentaries by filmmakers Paul Gordon and Bruno Monsaingeon+ Violin Sonatas and Chamber Music.+ Menuhin the conductor (including Tchaikovsky's Pathetique Symphony with the Leningrad Philharmonic)+ the following concerti are performed in their entirety:BACH--- Concerto BWV 1064 for 3 Violins (after 3 Harpsichord Concerto) = 1987 with Igor & Valery Oistrakh, Rozhdestvensky (BOX 6, DVD 6)BARTOK--- Concerto 2 = 1987 Rozhdestvensky (BOX 6, DVD 6)BEETHOVEN--- Concerto = 1987 Rozhdestvensky (BOX 6, DVD 6)BRAHMS--- Concerto = 1982 Masur (BOX 6, DVD 10)MENDELSSOHN--- Concerto = 1947 Dorati (BOX 6, DVD2)MOZART--- Concerto 3 K216 = 1967 Menuhin violin & conductor (BOX 6, DVD 3)NOVACEK--- Perpetuum mobile =1947 Dorati (Box 6, DVD 1)TCHAIKOVSKY--- Serenade melancolique = 1987 Rozhdestvensky (BOX 6, DVD 6)VIVALDI--- Concerti Op.8, No.1-4 "Four Seasons" = 1978 Norris (BOX 6, DVD 10)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------LIST 3 OF 3: LIST OF ALL CONCERTO RECORDINGS (1932-1990)This is a combined list of all Menuhin’s concerto recordings for four different record labels.Most are on EMI/Warner, but RCA/Sony has a six CD box with concerti by Bartok, Bruch, Lalo & Mendelssohn ( Yehudi Menuhin - The Complete American Victor Recordings ),-- plus Bartok's Second Concerto on Mercury ( Violin Concerto 2; Second Suite ),-- plus the Tchaikovsky Concerto on Deutsche Grammophon ( In Memoriam ).(see photos)Recordings in the “Menuhin Century” box are indicated by the box number.J.S. BACH- Concerto BWV 1041------ 1936 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1958 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto BWV 1042------ 1933 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1940 Schneevoigt “live” MONO (box 3)------ 1958 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto BWV 1043 for 2 Violins------ 1932 with Enescu, Monteux MONO (box 2)------ 1945 with Oistrakh, Orlov MONO (box 2)------ 1953 with de Vito, Bernard MONO------ 1959 with Ferras, Menuhin vln & cond STEREO------ 1985 with Lysy, Menuhin vln & cond STEREO- Concerto BWV 1052 (after Harpsichord Concerto) = 1972 de Stoutz “live” STEREO (box 3)- Concerto BWV 1060 for Violin & Oboe = 1962 Goossens, Menuhin vln & cond STEREOBARTOK- Concerto 1 = 1965 Dorati STEREO (box 5)- Concerto 2------ 1946 Dorati, Dallas Symphony MONO = SONY BOX------ 1953 Furtwangler MONO (box 2)------ 1957 Dorati, Minneapolis Symphony STEREO = MERCURY------ 1965 Dorati, New Philharmonia STEREO- Rhapsodies (2) = 1968 Boulez STEREO (box 5)- Concerto for Viola = 1966 Dorati STEREO (box 5)BEETHOVEN- Concerto------ 1947 Furtwangler, Lucerne Festival MONO (box 2)------ 1953 Furtwangler, Philharmonia MONO (box 2)------ 1960 Silvestri STEREO------ 1966 Klemperer STEREO------ 1971 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Romances (2)------ 1953 Furtwangler MONO (box 2)------ 1959 Boult MONO - stereo master tape is lost (box 1)------ 1960 Pritchard STEREO------ 1971 Menuhin violin & conductor (Romance 1 only) STEREOBERG- Concerto = 1968 Boulez STEREO (box 5)BERKELEY- Concerto = 1971 Boult STEREO (box 2)BERLIOZ- Reverie et Caprice = 1964 Pritchard STEREO (box 5)- Harold in Italy (viola) = 1962 Davis STEREO (box 5)BLOCH- Concerto = 1963 Kletzki, Philharmonia STEREOBRAHMS- Concerto------ 1940 Schneevoigt "live" MONO (box 3)------ 1949 Furtwangler MONO (box 2)------ 1957 Kempe STEREO- Concerto for Violin & Cello = 1984 with Tortelier, Berglund STEREOBRITTEN- Concerto = 1968 Kertesz "live" MONO (Box 3)BRUCH- Concerto 1------ 1931 Ronald MONO (box 1)------ 1945 Monteux MONO = SONY BOX------ 1951 Munch MONO = SONY BOX------ 1956 Susskind STEREO------ 1971 Boult STEREO- Concerto 2 = 1971 Boult STEREO (box 1)CHAUSSON- Poeme------ 1933 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1952 Boult MONO (box 1)------ 1960 Pritchard STEREODELIBES- Coppelia & Sylvia violin solos = 1960 Irving STEREO (box 1)DELIUS- Concerto = 1976 Davies STEREO- Concerto for Violin & Cello = 1976 with Tortelier, Davies STEREODVORAK- Concerto = 1936 Enescu MONO (box 2)ELGAR- Concerto------ 1932 Elgar MONO (box 2)------ 1966 Boult STEREOHANDEL- Concerto in B flat = 1968 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREOHAYDN- Concerto 1 = 1963 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREOLALO- Symphonie espagnole------ 1933 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1945 Monteux MONO = SONY BOX------ 1947 Fournet MONO (box 1)------ 1956 Goossens STEREOLECLAIR- Concerti Op.7, No.1 + 5 = 1983 Maksymiuk STEREO (box 1)MARTIN- Polyptique = 1974 de Stoutz STEREO (box 2)- Ballade for Viola, Winds & Percussion = 1975 Dobson STEREO (box 2)MENDELSSOHN- Concerto in D Minor------ 1952 Munch M0NO = SONY BOX------ 1953 Boult MONO (box 1)------ 1971 Fruhbeck STEREO- Concerto in E Minor Op.64------ 1938 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1952 Furtwangler MONO (box 2)------ 1958 Kurz STEREO------ 1971 Fruhbeck STEREO- Concerto for Violin & Piano = 1977 Yehudi & Hepzibah Menuhin STEREO (box 4)MOZART- Concerto 1 K207 = 1963 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto 2 K211 = 1962 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto 3 K216------ 1935 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1961 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto 4 K218------ 1943 Sargent MONO (box 2)------ 1954 Pritchard MONO------ 1963 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto 5 K219------ 1954 Pritchard MONO (box 1)------ 1961 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto K268 (spurious?)------ 1963 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto K271a (spurious?)------ 1932 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1962 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO------ 1974 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concerto K294a “Adelaide” (spurious)------ 1934 Monteux MONO (box 2)------ 1974 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO- Concertone K190 for 2 Violins = 1963 Lysy, Menuhin vln & cond STEREO- Sinfonia Concertante K364 = 1963 Barshai viola, Menuhin vln & cond STEREONIELSEN- Concerto = 1952 Woldike MONONOVACEK- Perpetuum mobile = 1934 Monteux MONO (box 1)PAGANINI- Concerto 1------ 1934 Monteux MONO (box 5)------ 1940 Schneevoigt “live” MONO (box 3)------ 1955 Fistoulari MONO------ 1960 Erede STEREO- Concerto 2------ 1950 Fistoulari MONO (box 1)------ 1960 Erede STEREO- Di Tanti palpiti = 1964 Pritchard STEREO (box 1)PANUFNIK- Concerto = 1975 Panufnik STEREO (box 2)PARTOS- Concerto = 1964 Bertini “live” MONO (box 3)SAINT-SAENS- Concerto 3 = 1953 Poulet MONO- Havanaise = 1957 Goossens STEREO- Introduction & Rondo capriccioso = 1957 Goossens STEREOSCHUMANN- Concerto = 1938 Barbirolli MONO (box 2)SIBELIUS- Concerto = 1955 Boult MONOTARTINI- Concerti D12 in C + D16 in D = 1983 Maksymiuk STEREO (box 1)TCHAIKOVSKY- Concerto------ 1949 Fricsay "live" MONO = DG------ 1959 Boult STEREO (box 1)- Sérénade Mélancholique = 1959 Boult STEREO- Sleeping Beauty & Swan Lake violin solos = 1959 Kurtz STEREO (box 5)VAUGHAN WILLIAMS- Concerto Academico = 1952 Boult MONOVIEUXTEMPS- Concerto 4 = 1951 Susskind MONO- Concerto 5 = 1954 Fistoulari MONOVIOTTI- Concerto 16 = 1976 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO (box 1)- Concerto 22 = 1974 Menuhin violin & conductor STEREO (box 1)VIVALDI- Concerto Op.8, No.6 = 1953 Boult MONO- 23 Concerti = 1962-1990 conducted by Lysy, Maksymiuk or Menuhin STEREOWALTON- Concerto = 1969 Walton STEREO (box 2)- Concerto for Viola = 1968 Walton STEREO (box 2)WIENIAWSKI- Legende------ 1938 Enescu MONO (box 2)------ 1964 Pritchard STEREOWILLIAMSON- Concerto = 1971 Boult STEREO (box 2)RE-OPENING OF PARIS OPERA HOUSE- Excerpts from Lalo & Mendelssohn + La Marseillaise = 1944 Munch MONO (box 2)

Edizione molto curata;all'interno della confezione si trova un elegante libro di 250 pagine contenente un'estesa biografia del musicista scritta in francese,inglese e tedesco e numerose foto d'epoca;la raccolta si articola in 6 sezioni,5 di c.d. (totale 80 c.d.) e una di DVD (11 DVD);gli elmenti di ogni sezione sono alloggiati in cofanetti specifici corredati di libretti con note informative;;l'artista esegue in modo mirabile musiche di ogni periodo,dal barocco al contemporaneo;2 c.d. presentano interessanti collaborazioni;la prima e' con il gruppo musicale indiano di Ravi Shankar che i cultori di musica rock ricordano per la partecipazione al festival di Monterey e al "Concert for Bangladesh";l'altra e' con musicisti jazz tra cui il violinista francese Stephane Grappelli;qui per Menuhin divertimento puro a tempo di swing;i DVD contengono per intero le registrazioni di Bruno Monsaigeon (18 ore) gia' edite in 4 blu ray piu' altro materiale aggiunto per un totale di circa 22 ore di cui circa 14 ore di filmati musicali e 8 di ducumentari-interviste sottotitolati in francese,inglese e tedesco.In conclusione:superlativa celebrazione di uno dei piu' grandi interpreti di musica per violino del secolo scorso.

Une merveille! Shipping very quick! ++++

感動します。すばらしい。録音も良いです。

This is a gigantic endeavour, and very palpably more than just another 'authoritative' collection. What Bruno Monsaingeon has pulled off with logistical precision is, paradoxically and unmistakably, a genuine labour of love. Luckily this does not take away from the objectivity of assessments and selections/inclusions, it vivifies and enlivens them, and makes them living phenomena. The curator understands his subject from inside, does not hesitate to confront problems, difficulties and even creative crises points - yet he also knows why it is epical and possesses unmatched spiritual power and an historic dimension. Importantly, what is constantly on view is a deep underlying concern with the inner meaning of an achievement as rich, varied and monumental - and thus never seamlessly "smooth" - as that of Yehudi Menuhin. This is a concern that contends with but is not limited to lists, charts and grandee hierarchies. There are, therefore, subtle subliminal patterns to be discerned that lend weight and significance, and a kind of buried 'moral value', to the materials presented. These materials range from the mind-bogglingly brilliant and inspired, the incandescently inexplicable early performances, both audio and audio-visual of Menuhin's salad days, to depth performances of the peak period of full musical and interpretive maturity. Impressively, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, materials garnered even from the controversial late violinistic career suggest that the older Menuhin may have become an occasionally fallible 'virtuoso', but he could also rise even in this phase, when mood, inspiration and form seized him, to unimaginable spiritual heights. I've always loved the sound of the violin - it speaks to the inmost soul - and there are many brilliant and scintillating virtuosi in the history of recorded music, some of them more certifiably steady in their absolute technical mastery over the stretch of a professional performing career, and yet Menuhin stands apart and towering in collective, almost archetypal memory - the sheer purity of the glorious, singing, spreading sound, the rapt, inspired phrasing and noble conception, the communicative eloquence of his violin's 'speaking human voice', the impassioned power and poetry of his matchless reading of the very greatest masters - as though he were their utter servant and privileged messenger....all this represents art in its maximal aspect and human purpose. Bruno Monsaingeon thus deserves our gratitude for bringing together this magisterial box set with its constituent sections straddling the field: from rarities and historic performances, to enlightening biopics and retrospectives on film, and including an exhaustive coverage of the extraordinary violin-piano partnership of Menuhin and his sister Hephzibah that comes from a place of ineffable rapport without real equals in performing arts history. All in all, despite its size and magnitude, or more exactly because of it, this is, at its price, not an expensive buy as one might at first suppose, but a remarkably economic one, for the riches and treasures it manages to combine here with new things to see, hear and experience in an already widely exposed artist, make it more than worth it. The sound on many tracks - such as for example in the famed Bach solo violin sonatas and partitas - is so well remastered that it makes you listen with new ears: suddenly you know just why these recordings are peerless. One can always quibble and argue with some things, and the 'market survey' philosophy dictates that one must endlessly weigh costs, pros and contras - but some things are priceless and beyond cost accounting, for they feed and nourish the human spirit, adding value, beauty and exaltation to life. Like Bach's music end of the baroque, this collection has about it a certain feeling of completion and of epiphanic climax - with reference to the entwined narratives of an artist, an instrument, the world of music, a century. Unreservedly recommended, and, when all is said and done, real value for money - and beyond.

Magnifique coffretTrès beau cadeau a faire a un mélomaneSuperbe présentationToute la mémoire artistique de Yehudy Ménuhin est dans ces CD