Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Constantin Silvestri, John Pritchard :: Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Romances Nos. 1 & 2

More Magnificent Menuhin

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 01/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recent edition to EMI's "Encore" series featuring Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Romances by the great Yehudi Menuhin is welcome indeed. It is hard to listen to this performance of the Violin Concerto (or any performance of it for that matter), and not think of Menuhin's brilliant 1953 mono account with Wilhlem Furtwangler. But as with most recordings, stereo provides an added dimension here on this 1960 rendition with Constantin Silvestri and the Vienna Philharmonic. While Silvestri is not the towering figure that was Furtwangler, he again proves a master accompanist. (Silvestri recorded a brilliant Beethoven VC the previous year with Leonid Kogan, featured on that violinist's now out-of-print "Artist Profile" collection.) The two Romances, also recorded in 1960 but with Sir John Pritchard leading the Philharmonia Orchestra, are the perfect ending to another magnificent effort by Menuhin."

Beethoven Violin Concerto

B. Tarr | Manchester ,England | 01/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A supremely dreamy account of the concerto where both soloist(Menuhin) and conductor (Silvestri) are at one.By far the most satisfying I have heard,either live or on disc."