As a musician, as a man of ideals, and as a true world citizen, Yehudi Menuhin made an extraordinary mark on his era. The Menuhin Century commemorates the 100th anniversary of his birth on 22 April 1916.
Comprising a total of 80 CDs, divided into five themed boxes, 11 DVDs and a hardback book, The Menuhin Century draws on the unequalled 70-year relationship between the violinist and the record company HMV/EMI. That collaboration produced a total of some 300 discs, which are now part of Warner Classics’ unrivalled catalogue. While The Menuhin Century is impressively extensive, spanning the 53 years from 1929 to 1998, it does not aim for completeness; rather, its particular focus is on the violinist’s landmark interpretations and on recordings never before released, or appearing for the first time on CD. About a third of the CDs in The Menuhin Century comprise rare or unreleased recordings, so the set offers a thrilling voyage of discovery both to Menuhin aficionados and to music-lovers who might be experiencing his art for the first time.
The Menuhin Century has been compiled in close collaboration with Bruno Monsaingeon, a film-maker who has also been a professional violinist; he knew Menuhin well for many years, and directed several of the documentaries that appear on the DVDs in the set. Monsaingeon is also the author of the eloquent and insightful text of the lavishly illustrated hardback book, running to over 250 pages, which complements the CDs and DVDs.
