Figure 1.-- Here we see the famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin taken in San Francisco during 1924 when Yehudi was only 8 years old. His accompanist is the pianist Louis Persinger, who was also concert master of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra at the time. Yehudi's clothes are a bit unusual. Note that he wears a loose open-necked white shirt which is not tucked into his trousers--apparently to give him more freedom of movement. Below the waist, however, he wears a boy's concert dress of the period--black velvet short pants (cut rather long), ribbed long black stockings (the ribbed stockings are rather unusual), and patent leather lowcut shoes. Note that the photograph was taken in a studio, not on the concert stage (the piano is not a concert grand and there are rugs on the floor). Perhaps for the purposes of practice or warm-up Yehudi omits a jacket and/or leaves his white shirt out over his belt. For an actual concert in public, the shirt presumably would probably have been tucked in and perhaps worn with a matching black velvet jacket.

Yehudi Menuhin has been described as the ultimate Wunderkind. The brilliant violin vituoso was born in 1916. Menuhin came from a Russian Jewish family called Mnuchin that emigrated to the United States via Palestine. His impoverished immigrant parents moved to New Jersey then to California seeking work. Yehudi received his first violin lessons in San Francisco from Siegmund Anker, who soon entrusted him to Louis Persinger, a student of Eugene Ysayes. The child made amazing progress and played the «Symphonie espagnole» by Lalo as a seven-year-old in San Francisco under Alfred Hartz. He debuted during 1924 in San Francisco at only 8 years of age. His early career landmarks included a Beethoven Concerto with NYSO/Fritz Busch (New York 1927) when he was 11 years old. In 1927, he made his debut in Paris at the Concerts Lamoureux under Paul Paray. He then met Georges Enescu, who took his musical education in hand. Menuhin's style is probably influenced most by Enescu. At the same time, he was taught by Adolf Busch in Basle. In 1929, he gave a memorable debut in Berlin under Bruno Walter and played the «three Bs», the violin concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms. At an Elgar Concerto at his 75th birthday concert (London 1932). "I can add nothing. It cannot be done better. You need not work on it any longer and let's go to the races instead." The whole world wanted to see the 'wunderkind' and he performed 110 times in 63 cities during a 1935 concert tour. He did not appear in public for 2 years afterwards. Experts note his great technical ability, spontaneity, and depth of musical understanding. He conducted his own own chamber group and many leading orchestras. In 1962 he started a boarding-school for musically talented children in Surrey, south of London.

Childhood

The brilliant violin vituoso was born in New York City during 1916. Menuhin came from a Russian Jewish family called Mnuchin of very modest means. They that emigrated to the United States via Palestine. His impoverished immigrant parents moved to New Jersey then to California seeking work.

Clothing

Casual photographs show him at about 6 or 7 years of age dancing with his sisters. He wears short pants and long dark stockings. As an older boy about 13 years of age he still wears wears short pants with both long stockings and kneesocks. Most of the photographs we have found are informal. I'm not sure what he wore for his concerts. One source says that he wore short psnts velvel suits with long stockings. Perhaps because of his immigrant parents, he seems to have been dressed more as a Eurpoean than an American boy. We do not see him, for example wearing knickers. A factor here is tha he spent a good bit of time giving countries in Germany and other European countries.

Musical Training

Yehudi received his first violin lessons at age 3 years in San Francisco from Siegmund Anker, who soon entrusted him to Louis Persinger, a student of Eugene Ysayes in Paris. The child made amazing progress and played the «Symphonie espagnole» by Lalo as a 7-year-old in San Francisco under Alfred Hartz. Enesco was a major influence on Menuhin and they were remained friends and nusical collaborators throughout their careers.

Wunderkind

Yehudi Menuhin has been described as the ultimate Wunderkind. Yehudi debuted during 1924 in San Francisco at only 8 years of age. Anoher surse says that he gave his first performance as a solo violinist at the age 7 years with the the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He later studied under the Romanian composer and violinist George Enescu. His early career landmarks included a Beethoven Concerto with NYSO/Fritz Busch (New York 1927) when he was 11 years old. In 1927, he made his debut in Paris at the Concerts Lamoureux under Paul Paray. He then met Georges Enescu, who took his musical education in hand. Menuhin's style is probably influenced most by Enescu. At the same time, he was taught by Adolf Busch in Basle. In 1929, he gave a memorable debut in Berlin under Bruno Walter and played the «three Bs», the violin concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms. At an Elgar Concerto at his 75th birthday concert (London 1932). "I can add nothing. It cannot be done better. You need not work on it any longer and let's go to the races instead." The whole world wanted to see the 'wunderkind' and he performed 110 times in 63 cities during a 1935 concert tour. He did not appear in public for 2 years afterwards. He conducted his own own chamber group and many leading orchestras.

Recordings

Yehudi made several recordings with his sister Hephzibah, a gifted pianist.

World War II

Menuhin gave USO performances for Allied soldiers during World War II. During the thirties, He gave about 500 concerts to Allied troops. At the end of the War he accompanied the composer Benjamin Britten to perform for the inmates of the just liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp (April 1945). Menuhin was deeply moved. He returned to Germany to perform under conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler (1947). It was an personal act of reconciliation. He was the first noted Jewish musician to perform in Germany after the Holocaust.

Menuhin and the Germans

Menuhin was deeply conflicted with the Germans. He learned to speak German fluently, aided by the time he spent in Germany giving concets. He also greatly admired the the great German composers and commonly performed their works. He also admired German conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler. Menuhin continued to sipport him even when charges of pro-NAZI attitudes appeared. Menuhin was a stong supporter of liberal social causes. He was conflicted over German because of his love for German learning and musical artistry. Some have criticized him for being to willing to ignore wider social issues and focus on his music.

Assessment

Experts note his great technical ability, spontaneity, and depth of musical understanding. One expert describes his work as "magic"--an agel who came to earth. Another emphasizes the matural heart-felt sound. Issac Stern emphazized his quality of sound, writing that Menuhin's "sound always had a life to it--even on a off day."

Good Works

Menuhin in 1962 started a boarding-school for musically talented children in Surrey, south of London.

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Created: December 11, 2001
Last updated: 2:25 AM 5/11/2006