Yehudi Menuhin: A Life [Hardcover]

Humphrey Burton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 12, 2000

One of the best-loved classical musicians of the twentieth century, Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999) was born in New York City to Russian Jewish immigrants. The gifted violinist gave his first solo recital at the age of eight and within five years rose to international fame. In addition to his enduring career as a performer and conductor, Menuhin was a tireless champion of humanitarian causes, ran the Bath Festival, founded a renowned music school, and served as cultural ambassador to the United Nations.

While the familiar image of Menuhin is that of a saintly, philosophizing guru, this compelling biography reveals that he was also a complex individualist who often sparked controversy. Humphrey Burton draws on his own radio interviews with Menuhin, unpublished family correspondence, and a wealth of primary sources to trace his extraordinary life from child prodigy, to mature artist, to musical diplomat. He relates in vivid narrative Menuhin's considerable achievements and wide-ranging interests, discussing his political activism, devotion to yoga, and treasured musical partnerships with sitarist Ravi Shankar and jazz violinist Stephane Grappeli. Burton delves into Menuhin's conflicts with the Jewish establishment over his postwar support of conductor Wilhelm Furtwaengler and his efforts to build bridges with the defeated German nation. He describes his two marriages, first to an Australian heiress and then to ballerina Diana Gould, and chronicles the unhappy period characterized by Menuhin's father as "the War of the Wives." The work also includes Gould's satirical essay, "A Day in the Life of Yehudi Moshevich," which originally appeared in the program book of the 1965 Bath Festival.

This captivating and in-depth portrait of Yehudi Menuhin will stand as the definitive work on an exceptional musician and human being.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Menuhin, who began as one of the most remarkable child prodigies since Mozart and, over his 83 years (1916- 1999), became a kind of musical elder statesman, has found his ideal biographer in Burton. The veteran BBC director and producer, who also wrote the best book to date about Leonard Bernstein a few years back, is friendly and fair, with a wry appreciation of Menuhin's comic aspects. Burton does a better job sorting out the chronology and the reality of Menuhin's spectacular boyhood successes than the violinist himself did in his eloquent memoir Unfinished Journey. Although his early successes were in San Francisco, Menuhin was born in the Bronx to ‚migr‚ Russian-Jewish parents who realized early their boy was a genius and seemed always in a quandary about how far his talent should be exploited. From the mid-1920s to the outbreak of WWII, Menuhin was one of the preeminent international virtuosos, though after the war many critics believe that his playing deteriorated. (Burton disputes this opinion, writing that there is no evidence of the violinist's decline until the 1970s.) Music was only one of Menuhin's passions, however. He was among the first in the West to espouse yoga and the principles of organic food; he established a notable school for young musicians; he became involved in high-level diplomatic maneuverings for UNESCO and in the Arab-Israeli dispute; and eventually he took up conducting. Burton relays these accomplishments with winning humor and a scrupulous attention to detail that should please musical scholars; the only flaw is the absence of a discography. B&w photos.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Menuhin (1916-99) was a child prodigy who developed into one of the greatest violinists of our age. His tireless work in his later years as a humanitarian and teacher earned him the honor of being considered one of the century's best-loved musicians. Burton, a BBC director and commentator and author of Leonard Bernstein, drew upon a 40-year association with Menuhin to create this richly detailed, always engrossing narrative. The biography is divided into five chronological sections. The subtitle of the fifth "I Was Born Old and Have Been Growing Younger Ever Since" is an apt summary of Menuhin's remarkable life and accomplishments, for it seems that as he aged and as his performing skills declined, he turned with indefatigable energy to myriad worthy projects. Burton stops well short of hagiography, however: the controversies in Menuhin's life personal, political, and musical are candidly dealt with. Each chapter ends with a listening list, which is very useful for tracing Menuhin's development as a performing artist at each successive stage of his career. Overall, this is an outstanding work about a remarkable individual that belongs in all collections. Larry Lipkis, Moravian Coll., Bethlehem, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 561 pages
• Publisher: Northeastern; First edition. edition (October 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555534651
• ISBN-13: 978-1555534653
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.1 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #682,982 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Draws upon contemporary sources, May 23, 2001

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yehudi Menuhin: A Life (Hardcover)

Yehudi Menuhin is among the finest violinists of the twentieth century. Humphrey Burton's definitive biography of this outstanding musician begins with Yehudi's birth in New York to Russian Jewish immigrants. A prodigiously gifted youth, he gave his first solo recital at the age of eight and within the next five years because internationally acclaimed as a true prodigy of the violin. A visionary individualist quite capable of shocking traditionalists, Yehudi's postwar support for the conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler, and his determination to restore the defeated German nation to the cultural and political reputation that had been so devastated by the Nazi's and anti-semitism brought him into sharp conflict with the Jewish political establishment and displaced persons in Berlin. Still later he spoke out against apartheid in South Africa, Denounced the Soviet Union's oppressive policy toward writers and dissident; and actively support a number of idealistic cultural, social, political, and musical projects. Burton draws upon contemporary sources, unpublished family correspondence, and radio interviews for this richly textured biography, including Yehudi's stormy marriages. Yehudi Menuhin is "must" reading for his legions of fans and students of twentieth century classical music and musicians.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb, exhaustive piece of work, May 5, 2001

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shantinik - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yehudi Menuhin: A Life (Hardcover)

This book is a great service to music lovers. It corrects the errors and fills in the lacunae from Menuhin's own masterful "Unfinished Journey". For me, as the father of two musical daughters, it was helpful in providing greater perspective on what Menuhin's precocity looked up from his parents' point of view, and the decisions they made to allow its expression. Exhaustive note, and each chapter contains a list of recommended recordings, so one can follow along in the musical journey if one chooses.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Yardstick., September 15, 2008

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Trevor L. Buisson "Trevor du Buisson" (Cape Town, South Africa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yehudi Menuhin: A Life (Hardcover)

This book is probably the most comprehensive biography I have ever read. Humphrey Burton's study on Yehudi Menuhin's life-history is a yardstick by which all authors of biographies could and should measure themselves.

I was given this book as a gift several years ago and before I decided to read it, the paperback sat on my bookshelf with time gradually yellowing it's pages. It was only until recently when I obtained a DVD performance of Hepzibah Mehuhin playing Mendelssohn's 'Variations Serieuse' that I felt inspired to finally read the book. As Hepzibah was not as famous as her brother (yet no less talented and gifted), my wish was to glean as much about Hepzibah as I could. As she played such an integral part of Yehudi's life my thirst was sufficiently quenched, and in the process I learned about the humble, giving, intellectual, spiritual, eccentric and monumental musician and character that Yehudi Menuhin was.

I would highly recommend this book to all musicians both classically and jazz orientated as a highly informative and satisfactory read. If your choice is to live the life of a musician, or if serious music is a part of your life, then this book will contribute to the musical ethos that is a musician's and music-lover's lifelong study.

The only downside I experienced regarding this book was that I accidentally left it at the airport just before finishing the very last chapter. This has proved to be deeply frustrating; so now I must source a copy or alternatively I shall have to go out and buy another. The standard of the writing and research however, is of such a consistent and unwavering high caliber that I can comfortably recommend the book even though I haven't quite finished it. On second thought, I may as well purchase the book as it would certainly merit a future re-read; and it would not be amiss on one's bookshelf as a treasured and worthy possession.