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CD REVIEW | James Ehnes: Voluptuous Tone, Never Overdone

By Paul E. Robinson on July 27, 2015

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Pianist Andrew Armstrong, and internationally renowned Canadian violinist James Ehnes.

Franck: Violin Sonata in A major. Richard Strauss: Violin Sonata in E flat major Op. 18. Allegretto in E flat major AV149. Wiegenlied. Waldseligkeit. Morgen! James Ehnes, violin. Andrew Armstrong, piano. ONYX 4141 (Total Time: 69:39)

It seems like only yesterday that Canadian James Ehnes burst on the scene as an exceptionally talented violinist. Although he attracted a lot of attention, he was but one among many. Canada was, and is awash with gifted young musicians, but few of them are outstanding enough to make an impact internationally. James Ehnes, at 39, has proved himself the exception; no longer merely an outstanding “Canadian” musician, he is today one of the world’s great violinists, a fact his latest recording confirms beyond any doubt.

Ehnes is neither a flashy player getting rave reviews for his dazzling virtuosity- though he can toss off Paganini Caprices with the best of them – nor one with a personality that dazzles concertgoers who know nothing about classical music; Lang Lang comes to mind with respect to such qualities, as does Joshua Bell to a lesser extent.

James Ehnes is, unequivocally, a musician’s musician of the highest order: he plays all the major concertos with absolute authority; he encompasses the sonata repertoire with equal command, and he plays chamber music on a regular basis for the opportunity to explore such great music.

To date, Ehnes has made more than 40 CDs – including all the violin music of Bartók and Prokofiev among others – virtually all of which are superb. In this latest release, he tackles the overly-familiar Franck Sonata, along with the lesser-known Sonata by Richard Strauss. Both of these performances, in which Ehnes, playing with his familiar beauty of tone and phrasing, is joined by his frequent sonata partner, American pianist Andrew Armstrong, are winners.

Both the Franck and the Strauss are technically daunting for all but the finest pianists. Armstrong, with his powerful personality, and with his ability to play virtually anything at any speed, is the ideal partner for Ehnes. He is by no means a mere accompanist. He often takes the lead in these performances and that is just what these pieces need. Violinist and pianist are really equal partners in this repertoire and the music suffers if the pianist is self-effacing.

Although the performance of the Franck Sonata is exciting and beautiful, with every bar sounding fresh and full of life, it was the Strauss that blew me away.

I had never thought of this early violin sonata as major Strauss – the composer was 23 when he wrote it – but listening to this performance, I had a change of mind, appreciating for the first time the rewarding complexity of the piece. The first movement is romantic passion as only a virile young man could express it. Ehnes and his violin, a 1715 “Marsick” Stradivarius, soar gloriously in phrase after phrase here, achieving tremendous power, even in the top notes.

The second movement (Andante cantabile) begins with an unassuming opening melody, then moves into a more agitated section. Finally, there is a return to the opening melody, now accompanied by a lovely bell-like embellishment in the piano part. As played by Armstrong and Ehnes, the effect is extraordinary. The last movement recalls the romantic passion of the first, and although the composer’s inspiration here seems less satisfying, Ehnes and Armstrong give it everything they’ve got. This is fantastic music-making.

As a bonus, this CD contains four short pieces by Strauss, one of which, the Allegretto in E major, was written in 1948, a year before Strauss died; only about a minute long, it is a final affirmation of Strauss’ great gifts as a melodist. The other pieces are arrangements of Strauss songs. Ehnes plays each of them with voluptuous tone, never overdone. He understands perfectly how to convey the beauty of each of these haunting pieces by playing with feeling and restraint.

For more on James Ehnes and a complete list of his recordings and forthcoming concerts, visit his website at www.jamesehnes.com. While you are at it, check out Andrew Armstrong website: www.alexanderarmstrong.com.

CD available via iTunes or Amazon.com.

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