James Ehnes - Concert français
Masterly performances in contrasting repertory from a young Canadian virtuoso whose star is very much in the ascendant
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Claude Debussy, Jules (Emile Frédéric) Massenet, Darius Milhaud, Hector Berlioz, Camille Saint-Saëns, (Amedée-)Ernest Chausson
Genre:
Orchestral
Label: fleurs de lys
Magazine Review Date: 7/2002
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 78
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: FL23151

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Introduction and Rondo capriccioso |
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer James Ehnes, Violin Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
Havanaise |
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer James Ehnes, Violin Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
(Le) Corsaire |
Hector Berlioz, Composer
Hector Berlioz, Composer Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
Rêverie et caprice |
Hector Berlioz, Composer
Hector Berlioz, Composer James Ehnes, Violin Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
Poème |
(Amedée-)Ernest Chausson, Composer
(Amedée-)Ernest Chausson, Composer James Ehnes, Violin Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
Tarantelle styrienne |
Claude Debussy, Composer
Claude Debussy, Composer Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
Cinéma Fanataisie |
Darius Milhaud, Composer
Darius Milhaud, Composer James Ehnes, Violin Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
Thaïs, Movement: Méditation |
Jules (Emile Frédéric) Massenet, Composer
James Ehnes, Violin Jules (Emile Frédéric) Massenet, Composer Quebec Symphony Orchestra Yoav Talmi, Conductor |
Author:
In repertory as contrasting as could be‚ prizewinning young Canadian violinist James Ehnes demonstrates in these two Analekta releases his mastery both as interpreter and in technique. The Bach brings traditional readings which may not be quite as distinctive as those on the classic sets I have listed above‚ but they have a concentration which combined with Ehnes’ flawless technique make them consistently compelling.
Ehnes tends to favour broad speeds in the slower movements‚ so that the initial impression made by the opening Adagio of the Sonata No 1 makes is of heaviness. Like Perlman but unlike Grumiaux‚ Ehnes observes secondhalf repeats as well as first and treats such opening movements relatively plainly‚ so initially one wishes the performances would more readily catch fire. That they certainly do‚ so that on repeated hearings Ehnes’ approach is readily acceptable‚ those slow openings consistent with the unforced concentration of the rest. Final movements tend to be taken fast‚ with exhilarating results‚ and with slow movements such as the Sarabande of the Partita No 1 beautifully sustained in tenderness. Not only that: in the biggest challenge of all‚ the great Chaconne which concludes the D minor Partita‚ No 2‚ Ehnes crowns the whole sequence with his finest performance‚ readily sustaining its massive scale. So the minorkey variations of the first half lead with seeming inevitability to the moment of resolution when at a hushed pianissimo D minor resolves on D major (disc 2‚ track 5‚ 8'10") with Ehnes at his most dedicated.
The disc of French showpieces follows the attractive pattern shown recently by the young French violinist‚ Renaud Capuçon‚ on Virgin‚ with the Berlioz‚ Massenet and Milhaud pieces as well as two of the SaintSaëns included on both discs. Yet curiously‚ two of the items are purely orchestral‚ with the Québec Symphony under Yoav Talmi challenged to the limit in Berlioz’s Corsaire Overture and Ravel’s brilliant arrangement of Debussy’s early piano piece‚ Tarantelle Styrienne. The exuberant account of that last piece is very welcome‚ though more items involving Ehnes might have been even better.
Though warmly romantic in his playing‚ Ehnes with his bright‚ sweet‚ pure tone‚ is never soupy in a traditionally romantic way. Intonation is flawless with a clear‚ middleofthenote focus. When‚ as in the slinky opening section of SaintSaëns’s Havanaise‚ he has to resort to underthenote colouration‚ he still retains his freshness‚ and‚ as in Bach‚ his hushed concentration at the start of Chausson’s Poeme is magnetic. He takes Massenet’s ‘Méditation’ relatively slowly‚ but then‚ avoiding sentimentality‚ he builds up from the tenderly songful opening section to a most powerful climax.
Most interesting of all is his approach to the Cinéma fantasie version of Milhaud’s Brazilinspired Le boeuf sur le toit. Where Capuçon in this jazzy fantasy makes the violin the first focus of attention‚ Ehnes is very much a member of the team‚ an impression enhanced by the closeup sound. The beefy energy of the piece with its regular‚ jaunty evocations of Charlie Chaplin builds via a powerful account of the cadenza to a frenzied close‚ full of fun. A fine disc with an attractive theme‚ not just a display vehicle.
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