 In 1948, Milstein's recording of Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, with Bruno Walter conducting the New York Philharmonic, had the distinction of being the first catalogue item in Columbia's newly introduced long-playing twelve-inch 33 rpm vinyl records, Columbia ML 4001.Milstein was awarded the Légion d'honneur by France in 1968, and received a Grammy Award for his recording of Bach's "Sonatas and Partitas" in 1975.He was also awarded Kennedy Center honors by US President Ronald Reagan.