A Repeat Performance at Fifty

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At left, the prodigy: above, with Sir Adrian Bout. the present prestigious artist. A REPEAT PERFORMANCE AT FIFTY Yehudi Menuhin this month celebrates his fiftieth birthday - - and for the occasion has returned to the great phonographic triumph of his youth: the Elgar Violin Concerto. By Edward Greenfield I. 1932. AT THE AGE of sixteen, Master of the sessions, I for one am being cau- them all, who can at once put an or- 1 ehudi Menuhin made a recording in tious on the point. chestra at ease, not to mention a soloist, HMV's Abbey Road studios that in If the young Menuhin had an incredi- with his own sureness of aim. To a some ways remains the most remarkable ble natural gift that far transcended his complaint from the control room about of his whole career: the Elgar Violin years in musical understanding, the extraneous noises, Boult recalled a story Concerto with Sir Edward Elgar him- fifty -year -old Menuhin remains a musical about Casals. During one of the cellist's self in charge of the London Symphony seer, intent on the music's message. con- recording sessions, Walter Legge had Orchestra. So delighted, we are told, veying what he wants to say with a objected to the great man that he was was the old composer with the young directness that is youthful in the fullest singing to himself during his playing. man's efforts that he cut the rehearsal sense of the word. At the sessions my "Then you can charge double for your short and insisted on a visit to the races first question to him- perhaps tactless records," was the sharp retort. instead. -was whether he had listened to his old The Elgar Concerto is a work which It was one of the legendary occasions Elgar recording again before coming to Menuhin feels "should be sung," and of recording history. No wonder, then, the studio. He revealed that he had not, sing he did (though not literally) in that for over thirty years Menuhin has and the reason was simple: no question some wonderfully sweet playing. But made no attempt to re- record this of principle, no fighting shy, simply every now and then a single note would grandest of violin concertos -not until lack of time. It had been hard during bother him. not once but repeatedly, his fiftieth year in fact, when in the days Christmas celebrations, he confessed, and he would have to endure the penance immediately following Christmas he even to look at the score very much. of repeated short takes. The wonder was went to Kingsway Hall, London, and One would not have known it. The that each time, however short the pas- taped the work afresh. No doubt when sessions-with Sir Adrian Boult in sage, he seemed able to switch on the the finished record appears there will charge of the New Philharmonia Or- same directly communicative intensity. be much comparing of versions, and chestra and Peter Andry of EMI in the Each time you were caught from the the Elgarian traditionalists (of whom in control room -went with express speed. very first note. England there are many) will almost It was partly Sir Adrian's influence, ex- 1 asked him about this special quality certainly swear that the old was better traordinarily economical of word and than the new. But after hearing some gesture, but still the noblest Elgarian of Continued on page 28 24 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE www.americanradiohistory.com.

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