Yehudi Menuhin Leads The ORTF Orchestra In Music Of Bartok, Mozart, Bach And Beethoven – 1964 – Past Daily Mid-Week Concert

Yehudi Menuhin conducts l’Orchestre national de l’ORTF – September 30, 1964 – Radio France –

The legendary violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin was born in New York on April 22, 1916. This year marks his centenary and several radio organizations throughout the world are running special programs to commemorate the event. One which is running some of his rarest material is the venerable Radio France Musique, who are devoting a considerable amount of programming to running concert performances from the past 60 years.

This concert, which was re-broadcast earlier this month, features Yehudi Menuhin in the role of Conductor. He leads l’Orchestre National de l’ORTF in a widely varied program of music by Bach, Bartok, Mozart and Beethoven – it was originally recorded on September 30, 1964. Here’s what’s on the program:

Concert donné le 30 septembre 1964

Jean Sébastien Bach
Concerto pour violon et orchestre en mi Maj. BWV 1042

Bela Bartok
Divertimento pour cordes

Wolgang Amadeus Mozart
Concerto pour flûte et orchestre en sol Maj. K313
Elaine Shaffer, flûte

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonie n°4 en si bémol Maj. op.60

Orchestre National de l’ORTF
Yehudi Menuhin, direction

The extra-added bonus are the announcements (aside from the current-day announcer) between the pieces, narrated by Menuhin himself.

It’s a rare and wonderful opportunity to hear Yehudi Menuhin in another light – that of conductor, which he devoted much of his later life to. The sound of this broadcast is excellent – and if it wasn’t in mono, you’d swear it was recorded a week ago.

So here is one to enjoy and keep.

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