Yehudi Menuhin and George Enescu play Bach

[ladentelliere77]

This is for me the most beautiful interpretation ! Yehudi Menuhin was only 16 years old when he recorded this marvel... Today's violonist often play these concertos too quickly loosing all the sensibility that Bach put in his music. Thanks for posting !

[vladut06]

Perfect match...Sun and Moon; Day and Night!!!They complete each other!!!

[CrateofStolenDirt]

Menuhin's sensitivity and depth are simply astonishing for a sixteen-year-old violinist (though I'd thought he was eighteen here?).

This remains, however improbably, quite possibly the single best recording of the Bach violin concertos I've ever heard.

[Thomas10065]

Lieber Absolute, gibt es wirklich 1. und 2. Geige hier? Und was den amazing sound anbelangt, hätte man wol live dabei sein müssen.

[0ladystardust]

wow

[InXLsisDeo]

Thinking about it, I wonder why Lipatti and Menuhin never met, as they both knew Enescu very well, and I'm pretty sure both of them knew the talent of each other. Both of them had that most rare quality of letting the music sing by itself. That would have been a heavenly match.

[InXLsisDeo]

It's a pity you didn't put the second movement as well, as it is there that the two violonists reach heavenly heights.

[lexytastic]

Enescu plays second violin. He was a brilliant composer and violinist.

[cyclotane]

can someone explain to me why Yehudi is so good>? i cant hear it, i cant distinguish between him and a modern violin player.

can you really tell its him???

i love this song, i htink its the best bach song ever. MAKES ME GO BERSERK

[qvqxox]

Menuhin played second violin. In the solo part, Menuhin used very emotional vibrato created only Menuhin. His vibrato was so emotional and particular.  In other hand, play style of Enescu was so constructive, I think.

[lexytastic]

@qvqxox He played first violin, Enescu was second. Well known.

[IngridAtenea]

I LOVE YOU BACH!

[EvilShaye]

Thank you for sharing this video. It is absolutely amazing. Makes me weak in the knees... beautiful.

[2ndviolinist]

Check out the Kreisler/Zimbalist 1915 version. Incredible master. The playing has wings. Great articulation, not at all lugubrious or heavy in the 1st movement. This is not that I don't like this version. Enescu is one of my favorites. Overall I think his Poeme is the best even over Thibaud's and Kreisler's. Young Menuhin is quite good, not in the pantheon of the greats, but a wonderful man. BTW he first studied with Louis Persinger, my brother's teacher and my teacher's teacher.

[bula1964]

Unele lucruri sint romanesti altele sint pamintesti dar asa ceva e cosmic!

[ipmoic]

I think that the SIMILARITIES in their playing, as opposed to the differences, is what makes this so special. They match so beautifully and the profoundness of the playing is a joy forever.

[veveritablonda]

dude, where on earth you guys are living you know nothing about half of this world, the better half My consolation is that I saw Menuhintalking aboutEnescu in Cambridge UK and he had tears in his eyesHe had no idea a Romanian was in the audience, so I am sure he did not put up the show, he genuinely loved his great professor and had great respect for the man It is sad that Enescu doesnt get the appreciation he deservesbecause his music isi indeed wonderful be it composition playing or conducting

[PhilippeRR1]

What an amazing historical recording!!! I did not know that Maestro ENESCU had taught Maestro MENUHIN. It's the same ENESCU, of course, that composed the ever popular Romanian Rhapsody #1...

[tex99pL]

@PhilippeRR1 Rhapsody #1 is a popular composition but not so important, you see... Enescu's genius is elsewhere: symphonies, chamber music, Oedipe.

[PhilippeRR1]

@tex99pL I couldn't agree more. I've heard parts of Oedipus and was absolutely awestruck. Tchaikowsky shared the same fate with his NUTCRACKER... popularity winner, but not his best or most important (the composer himself had very little regard for it). Thank you for your comment.

[qudatheo]

Who's who ? Enescu is the first violon ?

[davazno1]

First one is Enescu.

[monitort32123]

@davazno1 Menuhin is first violin. Enescu always played second violin.

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

@monitort32123 Nope, Enescu is on first

[monitort32123]

@AbsoluteZ3R0 In the 1932 recording, Enescu plays second. Read about it. He always played second. This was also one of the interesting details of this recording: Menuhin the student playing first violin. But I am not willing to spend more time arguing about this.

[andreea1909]

words are simply not enough to describe this!

[HammieOfNazareth]

Yehudi Menuhin was enescu"s student!

[themusicdr]

one of the best all time violin pieces ever played superbly here by 2 great violinists

[ihorvath66]

Indeed this version of Bach Double, compared to whatever I heard until, has the richest nuances. Is like a good wine, invades your senses, incites your sensibility and provokes your intellectual capacity to express your emotions. But the only intelligent phrase you can express: shut up and listen!

[morosefelicity]

OHHH MY GOSH. AMAZING. THANK YOU

You made my day! <3

[emeaatcapunctro]

Oh guys...

Why don't you just LISTEN!?

[ipmoic]

It's important to hear ALL of Menuhin's youthful playing to make any kind of assessment of his violin mastery. Menuhin here was still a fathomless talent and unaffected by his "retirement" at age 17 to re-group and refresh his life. At that time, Menuhin began to tinker with his playing and, over the years, lost his spontaneity, serenity and freshness. He, of course, developed into one of the great musical minds of the century but no longer as an incomparable violinist.

[goroundit123]

and of course "atonia" in the arms...echo what you say...I love the man and his earlier playings

[bebelushika]

Ok that means you dont be ashamed either about your compatriots do Pity there will be always somebody to remind how low you must be because of some pariah.

[adnana120486]

amazing

[takhirviolinest]

I like Mr. Oistrakh and Mr. Menuhin's playing. There Menuhin played more interesting. There is they work together. They do everything the same. But in Oistrakh and Menuhin's playing they play different like his personality style.  I like Menuhin's playing. He for me Angel of violin. When you listen him, you forget everything. He feeling in every his sound.

[sulingchina]

thanks ！I only to say this word!

真的太好听了这个版本！

[HeidiHo2001]

How wonderful to hear this! I was REALLY hoping someone had a recording of this! Thank you for sharing such a treasure. There sure is a difference in violin tones-I assume Menuhin has the brighter fiddle?

[dicadr]

I really agree with you M666M666, but I want to add:

In our time

Menuhin is a violonit- god, and his roumanin teacher,

Enescu is a musician- god (the first to admire him is just Menuhin)

[Tashmere]

~applauds wildly!~

[dicadr]

I can't tell you my emotion hearing this piece again and again...

I had the great pleasure to listen this concert with Menuhin and David Oystrach in Romanian Athenée (!!!) , and also Menuhin and A. Groumeau in Brussel, and I can't forget.

Now, this recording is really "breath taking", a piece of anthology which gives me so deep feelings and profound emotions. Please could you add part 2 and 3 too, I thank you from all my romanian heart.

[takamori400]

Menuhin was only 16! That's wonderful! I know that when he was 11 or 12, he had 115 concerts in all over Europe played Beethoven, Mozart, and Brahms. I also Menuhin had a lot of respect for his teacher Enescu and had a wonderful friendship with him.

[takamori400]

This is wonderful! A great teacher and a genious pupil!! Nothing is better than this!!! Enescu must be so happy and proud of his wonderful pupil. As a teacher, that's the best!

[dicadr]

dicadr

Marvelous! Teacher and pupil, both genious! Thanks!

[M666M666]

MENUHIN IS GOD

[CUNOSTIVAZAND]

Wonderful!Minunat!

[tempodimarcia]

I knew there had to be a good interpratition of the Bach double concerto somewhere XD

[singwell43]

Time to appreciate the spiritual qualities different people bring to their musical performances. The issue is not who plays better but what music means, and that is for each person to decide for him/herself.

[ovinel]

I think heritage has importance, for example I prefer George Enescu to most composers, regardless of their fame.

I think that there is a local spirit in every composer that only the people who have similar backgrounds and ways of life feel.

[cattleman6420012000]

This sounds so beautiful.

[Vlahia2008]

We don't see it that way in this part of the world - the fact that a person was born in, and created very much in the spirit of, a certain country isn't something that is regarded as negative. On the contrary. Enescu is a big name in Romania just as Tchaikovsky is to Russias (& the world, as perhaps the equivalence isn't perfect) and each of us is happy to have had them. There are still national specificities out there and there is nothing wrong with that, either. And Europe is one such host.

[theViolinDreamer]

Agreed. I take pride in names such as Enescu , Brancus , Eminescu , and there is nothing wrong with that.This certainly does not have anything to do with race.

[sawyer10j]

are the other 2 movements available somewhere?

[bret2sd]

Breath taking recording. I wasn't aware of G.E. recording. I will be looking for some now!!!

[prorish1]

It's brilliant - thank you.

[FaustSV]

this video makes me a proud romanian :'-)

[j3g44x5gf]

I'm of the opinion that the feeling of pride should be reserved for accomplishment, not tenuous association.

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

Very good point

[Vlahia2008]

So if you see one of your compatriots achieve something that the world admires, you don't feel proud.

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

I see what you're saying, but to me I don't consider people of my own heritage to be my compatriots. My heritage is of no importance to me. Race is becoming less and less important in this world, and i think that's how it should be.

[Vlahia2008]

My point has nothing to do with race.

[Vlahia2008]

Someone's compatriot may be of any race.

[mitzuzauru]

what you say is stupid and i don't agree. i feel very connected to my fellow people. matter matters as much as spirit.

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

it's not stupid, it's a matter of upbringing and opinion. What's stupid is for you to call me stupid just for not agreeing with you.

[Vlahia2008]

Then pray withold from expressions such as "that's the way it should be".

[dviesq]

People feel compelled to inject nationalism into art. It's sad and it steals from the artist and the work.

[Mauricebear]

Oh its such a shame you could not get part 2 and 3, but thanks for this

[bracinarii]

Why would you feel proud about it. You have no merit whatsoever in your compatriots success. So, the what to be proud of ... Pride is the one of the most weakest emotions that the human race can exhibit. It got us in trouble over and over again. So forget about being proud about anything, especially being proud about things that you don't have any control over, neither merit for...

[Valahia2008]

Good for you that you're so detached. I guess you guys never watch the Olympics.

Best regards

[Vlahia2008]

I hope you guys will also forgive us for taking pride in the man who was also our greatest composer.

Best regards.

[hellspawn22]

omg, it's just so wonderfull and every note is perfect. this is my favorite piece in clasicall music

[friendekisest]

I have listened to this performance so many times. So wonderful of you to have put it up. I have shared it with many friends over the years.

[Ichkovitch]

Victorious.

[aimson]

Not sure what this video has to do with Heifetz, Milstein, and Oistrakh but I'll take it. Wonderful recording that I have listened to many times over the years. I also recommend watching the recording of Igor and David Oistrakh (it's on DVD) and listening to Heifetz and Eric Friedman. Very interesting stuff there too.

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

lol I put them in the tags so that more people would stumble onto this video

[gxgfree4rhyme]

yes Absolute has a point here, it's a smart good trick and i agree with him.