Seldom did I buy compilation discs, especially those with only excerpts, but there must be exceptions, as in all other things in life. This CD is virtually exceptional, in that Lord Menuhin recorded his verbal comments on the excerpts (recorded from 1928 to 1944) in this disc. He recounted his impressions on Kreisler, Heifetz, Sibelius and Bartok, and little anecdotes regarding the recordings reproduced in this CD. It is a cogent historical document, and salute to Biddulph for masterminding this production at the 80th birthday of Lord Menuhin in 1996.
Listening to these recordings today, I was as amazed as I first heard them in 1996, and the linkage of history with all these first-hand reminiscences became so touching. It is so moving when I remember the famous anecdote that after his debut with the Berlin Phiharmonic performing concertos by Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, conducted by Bruno Walter, Albert Einstein embraced him and said, "Now I know there is a God in heaven!" Lord Menuhin was then only 12 years old.
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