Yehudi Menuhin (New York City, April 22, 1916 - Berlin, 12 March 1999) was an American violinist.
A native of the United States, spent most of his career as a violinist and conductor in Britain.
Born to Jewish parents in the U.S. (the name means Yehudi 'jew' in Hebrew), the eldest of three children all of whom later became famous musicians (in addition to his sisters Hephzibah and Yaltah both pianists), Menuhin began at the age of three years to study the violin under the guidance of Sigmund Anker. A child prodigy, made his first concert at age seven, accompanied by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Menuhin later studied under the Romanian composer and violinist George Enescu. From that period there are precious few recordings with the pianist sister Hephzibah.
Yehudi Menuhin was married twice. First with Nola Nicholas, daughter of an Australian industrial and sister of the first husband of Hephzibah (Linda Nicholas). They had two sons, Krov and Zamira. After their divorce, he married the English ballerina and actress Diana Gould, with whom he had two other sons, Gerard and Jeremy Menuhin, pianist.
Menuhin went several times in San Francisco and performed as a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Memorable was the performance of the concerto for violin and orchestra by Sir Edward Elgar, Menuhin registered in London under the guidance of composer for His Master's Voice (HMV) in 1932.
of himself at that time said that he would have "the elegance of Kreisler, the sound of Elman (violin speaking") and the technique of Heifetz, but in fact in his early years reached levels of artistic excellence ( technical mastery, particularly bow technique, and depth of interpretation) such as to indicate his first recordings (for example, that of the concerto for violin and orchestra by Mendelssohn) as an absolute reference point for future generations.
In 1937 he played in Berlin for the Nazi propaganda masterpiece presenting as German Romantic concerto violin and orchestra no op of Robert Schumann.
Yehudi Menuhin performed for Allied troops during the Second World War and in April 1945, with the composer Benjamin Britten, played for the prisoners of the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen after its liberation. In Germany he returned in 1947, playing under the guidance of the Director Wilhelm Furtwängler, a significant act of reconciliation, by a musician jew, even in light of known Nazi sympathies in the past by Furtwängler.
met after considerable physical difficulties, perhaps due to hyperactivity of the first year of study and performances, which did not allow the most dazzling mastery instrument occurred in the first period of his activity. The practice of meditation techniques and yoga helped him as much as possible to counter these problems.
In the 80 recorded performances of jazz with Stephane Grappelli, and oriental music with the sitar player Ravi Shankar. In 1983 he created the contest Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young violinists in Folkestone, Kent. In 1985 he was granted British citizenship and was awarded an honorary knighthood.
Lord Menuhin died in Berlin, Germany after a brief illness, for a pulmonary complication.
After his death, the Royal Academy of Music took charge of the Yehudi Menuhin Archive, one of the most comprehensive collections devoted to a single musician.
The Hungarian composer Bela Bartok wrote for him the Sonata for solo violin.
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