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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Bartók: Works for Violin and Piano Volume 2
James Ehnes has previously explored Béla Bartók’s concertos for violin and for viola, to great acclaim. This disc is the second in his equally successful survey of Bartók’s chamber music for the violin. His accompanist, once more, is Andrew Armstrong, a pianist praised by critics for his passionate expression and dazzling technique. The folk-inspired Sonata for Solo Violin was the last work that Bartók wrote for the instrument, not to mention the most challenging. In a departure from his usual practice, this work was written not for a fellow Hungarian, but rather for an artist born in New York where Bartók was now living: Yehudi Menuhin. Suitably impressed by a recital performance by Menuhin of his first Violin Sonata as well as Bach’s Sonata in C, he had no hesitation in accepting the violinist’s commission for a sonata that, like Bach’s, would be unaccompanied. Almost half a century earlier, Bartók had written his Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor. It was included in a concert given by graduating students of the Liszt Academy in June 1903, when a critic, most likely not realising just how right he would prove, hailed Bartók as ‘a phenomenal young genius, whose name today is known only to a few, but who is destined to play a great and brilliant role in the history of Hungarian music’. Additionally on this disc we have three groups of Bartók’s Romanian and Hungarian folk dances, folksongs, and folk tunes, arranged for violin variously by Zoltán Székely, Tivadar Országh, and Joseph Szigeti, often with direct involvement by the composer himself who helped fine-tune the new arrangements. James Ehnes also highlights the Romanian influences in Bartók’s Sonatina for piano, transcribed for violin by André Gertler, a student of Bartók’s. “Needless to say, the score [of the Solo Sonata] holds no terrors for Ehnes who delivers a magisterial performance...Ehnes and his excellent pianist, Andrew Armstrong, make the best possible case for reappraising the early Violin Sonata of 1903, dismissed by the composer as a mere apprentice work.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2013 ***** “Ehnes gives a stunning account of the Solo Sonata. The impression is that he's simply following all Bartok's meticulous direction...and adding nothing extra. If this seems boring, the effect is anything but: clarity of articulation, beauty of sound, the ease with which he surmounts the technical challenges, and deep understanding of the work's structure and character; all these combine to make a performance that's exciting and enthralling.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2013 “Big toned yet poetic, Ehnes is a persuasive interpreter.” The Observer, 20th January 2013  BBC Music Magazine
Chamber Choice - March 2013 |
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This two-disc set marks the beginning of a new project devoted to Tchaikovsky’s ballet scores. We start the survey with the complete score of The Sleeping Beauty, recorded on SACD. Swan Lake and The Nutcracker will follow in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Tchaikovsky was approached by the Director of the Imperial Theatres in St Petersburg, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, in 1888 about a possible ballet adaptation of Charles Perrault’s La Belle au bois dormant (The Sleeping Beauty). The vision was to stage the production in the style of Louis XIV, allowing the musical fantasy to run high and melodies to be written in the spirit of Lully, Bach, and Rameau. This proposal for a fairy-tale ballet rooted firmly in both the rococo and baroque periods appealed to Tchaikovsky, and The Sleeping Beauty was premiered in 1890, with choreography by Petipa, the principal choreographer of his day. Elaborately constructed, the ballet places its focus undeniably on the two main conflicting forces of good (the Lilac Fairy) and evil (Carabosse). Each has a representative leitmotif, which runs through the entire ballet, serving as an important thread to the underlying plot. Tchaikovsky’s use of what, at the time, were considered new and unorthodox instrumental combinations went on to inspire a new generation of composers, among them Stravinsky, who declared The Sleeping Beauty to be Tchaikovsky’s chef d’œuvre. The Sleeping Beauty is here performed by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Neeme Järvi, who is celebrating two major milestones this year: a thirty-year recording career with Chandos Records, and his own seventy-fifth birthday. Orchestra and conductor are joined by the pre-eminent violinist James Ehnes, one of the most dynamic and exciting performers in classical music today. “The Bergen Philharmonic proves an ideal instrument for one of Tchaikovsky's most magical scores. Neeme Jarvi's every demand is met with immaculate playing, recorded in a warm but not too resonant acoustic...That said, Jarvi chooses some quirky tempos...there is plenty here to delight lovers of this ballet.” BBC Music Magazine, February 2013 **** “[Järvi] turns a second-tier orchestra into a world beater, holding the Bergen Philharmonic in the palm of his hand. Despite speeds that are noticeably faster than you would expect in the theatre, Järvi makes every phrase dance and smile.” Financial Times, 5th January 2013 **** “This is a good, practical interpretation of The Sleeping Beauty. The playing by the Bergen Philharmonic is strong and spirited: Jarvi's conducting is rational, adopting as it does the natural pacings and colouristic inflections from which it is possible to appreciate the character of the dances in one's mind's eye...in general Järvi does a sound job in sustaining the dramatic flow.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2013 “Järvi seems never to put a foot wrong and the Bergen orchestra impresses as much, conducted by him, as it does under its principal conductor Andrew Litton... the producers have pulled out all the stops and engaged no less a violinist than James Ehnes to play the important violin solos, a strikingly indulgent decision which pays dividends because Ehnes' outstanding technique makes these sections truly memorable.” MusicWeb International, December 2012 “From the outset...it is clear that Jarvi has no intention of lingering. His brisk allegros would probably rush the most virtuosic ballerinas off their feet in the theatre. On record, without the distraction of spectacle and dancing, the dramatic momentum hardly lets up, although he and the excellent Bergen players luxuriate in the rapt steps of Aurora’s famous Rose Adagio.” Sunday Times, 23rd December 2012 “You might find yourselves in two minds about it. Järvi's extreme speeds result in a performance to which you can't imagine anyone dancing...The playing is ravishing, though, and a couple of glamorous guest instrumentalists, James Ehnes and Robert deMaine, add real lustre to the concertante violin and cello solos respectively.” The Guardian, 10th January 2013 *** |
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| |  | Bartók: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2
Bartók: | Violin Sonata No. 1, BB 84, Sz. 75 Violin Sonata No. 2, BB 85, Sz. 76 Rhapsody for Violin & Piano No. 1, BB 94a, Sz. 86 Rhapsody for Violin & Piano No. 2, BB 96a, Sz. 89 Andante in A major, DD 70, BB 26 |
This is the second volume in a series devoted to the works for strings by Béla Bartók, with James Ehnes the featured soloist. Earlier this year, Ehnes recorded the Violin and Viola Concertos (CHAN10690), which was made Disc of the Month in Gramophone magazine. On this new recording, he turns to the Violin Sonatas and Rhapsodies, complemented by the earliest surviving work by Bartók for violin and piano, an Andante. He is accompanied by the pianist Andrew Armstrong. Dedicated to the Hungarian violinist Adila d’Arányi, the sonatas for violin and piano were composed in 1921 – 22, around the same time as the highly successful ballet score The Miraculous Mandarin. Of the two works, the Sonata in C sharp minor is the more traditional in terms of its structure, and characterised by a mood that is sometimes exhilarated, sometimes turbulent – but always virtuosic. The finale builds from a series of increasingly wild dances, folk-like in style but entirely expressionistic. In the Sonata in C major, Bartók removes himself from classical form and traditional tonal practice, calling on the violinist to distance himself from the romantic manner of playing. At several points, for example, the violin is played without vibrato, producing an ethereally cool and distant sound. The improvisatory character is strong throughout, as the work repeatedly alternates between the quiet and thoughtful, and the stormy and strident. The ending, in contrast to the earlier sonata, is understated, emotional, and expressive. Bartók’s two rhapsodies for piano and violin, dedicated respectively to Joseph Szigeti and Zoltán Székely, are steeped in the tradition of Hungarian folk music. Exuberant and infectious, the works are heavily inspired by the csárdás, the national dance of Hungary, and display the traditional pairing of lassú (slow) and friss (lively) movements. “The performances are assertive but never excessively forceful, tonally sweet (useful in this often acerbic music) and, from Andrew Armstrong's standpoint, almost impressionist in their projection of nuance and tonal shading...an exceedingly generous programme (80'30''), expertly engineered, well planned, beautifully executed.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012 “They are performances of outstanding musical insight and technical brilliance...James Ehnes and Andrew Armstrong perfectly encapsulate the anxieties projecting in both works...But they also find room for repose and reflection...As with Ehnes's recording of the Concertos, the present collection sweeps the board in terms of performance and generosity alike.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2012 ***** “Ehnes has the measure of the fractured sonata design of the Allegro appassionato [in No. 1]...[He] gives a tellingly understated account of the preludial Molto moderato [in No. 2], dovetailing into a main Allegretto which open out its thematic and expressive potential so the work as a whole seems to unfold seamlessly towards a rapt and unifying postlude.” International Record Review, February 2012 “This is a magnificent disc, wonderful playing captured in fantastic sound, and a fine way to begin an exploration of Bartók’s work in this genre. Roll on Volume Two.” MusicWeb International, June 2012 | | | (also available to download from $10.50) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
After his acclaimed recording of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, for Onyx Classics, and current Gramophone CD of the Month [on Chandos], James Ehnes once again collaborates with Vladimir Ashkenazy for a Tchaikovsky programme, recorded live in Sydney. This CD contains Tchaikovsky’s complete works for violin and orchestra, plus a delightful bonus of the 'Souvenir d’un lieu cher' accompanied by Ashkenazy on piano. “Ehnes is not a violinist to use bravura as an end in itself...His dexterity is a marvel of lightness and precision in the finale, but it is consistently aimed towards a musical goal, the range of tone beautifully judged and, as in the first movement, the structure and direction kept in clear view. This is a consummate performance...All in all, the disc makes a fine start to 2012.” The Telegraph, 5th January 2012 “Ehnes’s virtuosity impresses on account of its virtue. He makes a ravishing sound and meets every technical challenge thrown at him with utterly reliable intonation, tonal consistency and beautifully controlled articulation. What distinguishes him, however, is an almost self-effacing intelligence.” Sunday Times, 8th January 2012 “The sound of Ehnes's violin is especially full and expressive; it's not the kind of tone Tchaikovsky would have recognised but it sound gorgeous and allows him to rise to the concerto's lyrical high spots with considerable intensity. Even his muted tone in the Canzonetta is exceptionally warm and resonant. He clearly enjoys demonstrating his ability as a virtuoso, making this one of the most exciting accounts of the finale I can remember.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012 “Ehnes and Ashkenazy deliver a particularly beautiful account of the slow movement...Ehnes demonstrates his characteristically phenomenal technical assurance while bringing out all the fire in the music too...their disc can be recommended warmly not only for the excellent if occasionally strait-laced Concerto but - above all - for the other pieces, which have seldom been recorded with such poise and poetry.” International Record Review, February 2012 “I found this disc a marvellous experience, both technically and musically, and it has already qualified as one of my discs of the year...The key word that characterises his playing is grace. Right from the off, his playing glows with such beauty that the violin seems to have a singing quality that suits this music right to the core...This is the finest reading of the concerto that I have come across in a very long time, and I urge lovers of the work to hear it.” Musical Opinion, 12th June 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Bartók: Violin Concertos & Viola Concerto
Hailed as ‘the Jascha Heifetz of our day’ (The Globe and Mail, Canada), the violinist James Ehnes is widely considered one of the most dynamic and exciting performers in classical music, appearing regularly with the world’s finest orchestras and conductors. Accompanied here by the BBC Philharmonic under Gianandrea Noseda, Ehnes is the soloist in Bartók’s two violin concertos in which he plays the ‘Marsick’ Stradivarius of 1715, as well as in the viola concerto, performing on the ‘Rolla’ Giuseppe Guadagnini viola of 1793, on loan from the Fulton Collection. James Ehnes said of this disc: ‘These three concertos are among the most striking examples of Bartók’s early, middle, and late periods, each showing a very different side of one of the great musical voices of all time; they are among my very favourite pieces to perform’. Bartók wrote his first concerto for violin in 1908 for the young violinist Stefi Geyer, to whom he was romantically attached at the time, which explains the warm feelings expressed in the first movement; though the relationship ended shortly after the work’s completion, Bartók and Geyer remained on friendly terms. The composer shelved the concerto, which remained in Geyer’s possession, unperformed until two years after her death, nearly fifty years after it was written. Violin Concerto No. 2 was commissioned by the Hungarian violinist Zoltán Székely almost thirty years after the first concerto was completed. Bartók at the time would have preferred to write an extended set of variations, but Székely maintained that, seeing as he was paying for the work, he should get what he asked for. Bartók reluctantly agreed – but later pointed out that he had had his way after all, seeing as the central movement is in variation form, and the finale works with variations of themes from the first movement. The Viola Concerto is among the last pieces on which Bartók worked. Existing only in the form of extended sketches at the time of his death in September 1945, the work was completed by the violist and composer Tibor Serly, a fellow Hungarian and close friend of Bartók’s. Compared to earlier works by Bartók, the concerto is harmonically restrained with a melancholy quality that was always evident in his music, but which intensified in his late years. “a performance that, throughout, is ear-catchingly alert to the music’s range of tonal shading, its abrupt switches of pace and mood, its powerful bravura and its pungent lyricism...this whole disc...gives a remarkable insight into Bartók’s compositional individuality in performances of captivating artistry.” The Telegraph, 2nd September 2011 ***** ““Romantic” is not the first word that comes to mind with Bartók, but there is no mistaking the romantic influences that run through these concertos...Ehnes’s sweet tone and sensitive musicianship make this an unexpectedly rewarding disc, with warm-blooded accompaniments” Financial Times, 17th September 2011 **** “His sinewy, lean tone is perfect for the mature Bartok’s stark, rebarbative harmonic language, yet he perceives the lyrical, folkloric vein that runs through the composer’s greatest masterpieces. Ehnes makes the attractive but uncharacteristic early concerto worth hearing, but he really warms to the late lyrical manner Bartok adopted for the Viola Concerto” Sunday Times, 18th September 2011 “Chandos could not have chosen a more ideal team for this project...Here they demonstrate an instinctive understanding for the different musical characteristics of each work...While encapsulating these distinctive emotional worlds, they nonetheless maintain a tight grip over the music's structural direction...Chandos have done soloist, conductor and orchestra proud with a warmly engineered recording that allows us to hear a wealth of inner details.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2011 ***** “I can't think of a finer CD version of the First Concerto than this...[Ehnes's] rich, yielding tone makes an even stronger impression [in the Viola Concerto], reminiscent of William Primrose in his prime...The kernel of the piece is its slow movement and I challenge any reader to name a version that is either more moving or more beautifully played...its pared-to-the-bone textures mean that Ehnes's soul-warming contribution comes across as especially powerful.” Gramophone Magazine, November 2011 | | | (also available to download from $10.50) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | James Ehnes plays Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn’s E minor violin concerto is one of the composer’s greatest works, and one of the most popular violin concertos in the repertoire. Making his first recording of the work, James Ehnes is partnered by Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia, recorded live. The astonishingly precocious Octet, written when Mendelssohn was just 16, is given a sparking and vivacious performance by James and his friends from the Seattle Chamber Music Society. His previous ONYX release of the Paganini 24 Caprices was universally praised by reviewers worldwide. “Ehnes’s gorgeous, supple tone is combined with that instinct for a composer’s distinctive character that makes his interpretations so compelling. Ashkenazy conducts with delicacy and strength...Ehnes’s innate sensibility draws him into the music’s milieu for a performance that is outstanding and unreservedly recommended.” The Telegraph, 19th November 2010 ***** “Brisk tempi mark out James Ehnes's reading of Mendelssohn's perennial concerto; there is nothing cloying or sentimental, even in the luscious slow movement where lesser violinists are tempted to wallow. Instead, he gives a beautifully sincere, unaffected performance” The Observer, 21st November 2010 “The first thing that hits you about Ehnes's reading is the rhythmic propulsion of the concerto's outer movements, which lifts the music, revealing its glorious bone-structure...the sense is of a joyous, exhilarating ride rather than anything overly driven...Another aspect which is particularly winning is the creaminess of Ehnes's lower register...this is absolutely up there with the best of them.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2011 “His tone...is sweet in all registers and the intonation true” International Record Review, January 2011 “The Octet has rarely sounded more symphonic as Ehnes and his Seattle friends demonstrate all the energy and wit of chamber playing at its most dazzling. Ehnes gives an elegant, refined account of the Violin Concerto that highlights its unconventional structure, but it's not without emotion. Including the exhilarating Octet makes it unmissable.” Classic FM Magazine, March 2011 ***** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Jeunesses Musicales du CanadaLooking to the Future
Bach, J S: | Violin Sonata in G major, BWV1021 James Ehnes (violin), Luc Beauséjour (piano), Benoit Loiselle (cello) | Brahms: | Two songs for contralto with viola obbligato, Op. 91 Marie-Nicole Lemieux (contralto), Michael MacMahon (piano), Nicolò Eugelmi (viola) | Chopin: | Fantasia in F minor, Op. 49 André Laplante (piano) | Duparc: | Chanson triste Jean-François Lapointe (baritone), Louise-Andre Baril (piano) | Dvorak: | Mesícku na nebi hlubokém 'Song to the Moon' (from Rusalka) Marianne Fiset (soprano) Orchestre de la Francophonie, Jean-Pjilippe Tremblay | Piazzólla: | Cuarto Estaciones Porteñas Gryphon Trio | Rachmaninov: | Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36 Nareh Arghamanyan (piano) | Salzedo: | Scintillation, Op. 31 Valérie Milot (harp) | Schubert: | Sonatina in D major, D384 (Op. posth. 137 No. 1) Angèle Dubeau (violin), Anton Kuerti (piano) | Strauss, R: | Don Juan, Op. 20 Orchestre de la Francophonie, Jean-Pjilippe Tremblay | Verdi: | Elle ne m'aime pas! (from Don Carlos) Joseph Rouleau (bass) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Cortigiani, vil razza dannata (from Rigoletto) Louis Quilico (baritone) Edmonton Symphony Orchestra | Vivaldi: | Concerto for 2 Flutes, Strings and Continuo in C, R533 Ensemble Caprice |
This anniversary collection by Jeunesses Musicales marks 60 years of service to the young: 60 years of excellence. The compilation presents some of the best recordings made at ANALEKTA by artists who toured under the aegis of JMC or have been associated with the Montreal International Musical Competition, founded in 2002. Discover some of the great performers of the Canadian music scene. | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Barber, Walton and Korngold: Violin Concertos
“an outstanding release in every way” Edward Greenfield in Gramophone “It's an inspired coupling, as well as a generous one, to have these three high-romantic concertos together. James Ehnes gives superb performances, bringing out their full emotional thrust without vulgarity or exaggeration. His playing has always been impressive on disc, but here he excels himself in expressive range as well as tonal beauty, with expressive rubato perfectly controlled.
The concertos date from the late 1930s and '40s, and though at the time their romanticism might have seemed outdated, the strength and memorability of the musical ideas in each amply justifies the composers' stance. In the Barber, Ehnes more than usually brings out the contrast between the first movement – improbably marked Allegro when the impression is of a slowish piece – and the Andante slow movement, strengthening the work's impact. The Korngold, drawing its striking main themes from some of the composer's film scores, is just as richly lyrical, prompting from Ehnes some ecstatic playing of the many stratospheric melodies above the stave, using a wide dynamic range with wonderfully delicate half-tones.
The Walton is just as memorable, for unlike most latter-day interpreters Ehnes has taken note of the example of the work's commissioner and dedicatee, Jascha Heifetz. Where the work is generally spread to well over half an hour, Ehnes takes exactly 30 minutes and the result is all the stronger. This is one of Walton's most richly inspired works, and Ehnes brings that out strongly, helped by the powerful playing of the Vancouver orchestra under Bramwell Tovey.
Textures are not always as transparent as they might be but the power of the orchestral playing in all three works adds greatly to the impact of the performances. An outstanding disc in every way.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “Ehnes proves an ardent and committed advocate, mirrored by Bramwell Tovey's glowing partnership, particularly in the lyrical, beautiful slow movement, which has exquisite delicacy of feeling. It is an inspiring coupling, as well as a generous one...Ehnes gives superb performances of all three, bringing out their emotional thrust without vulgarity or exaggeration. An altogether indispensable CD.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Britten & Shostakovich: Violin Concertos
After a series of critically acclaimed recordings on ONYX, most recently of the Mendelssohn (ONYX4060) and the Tchaikovsky concertos (ONYX4076), James Ehnes teams up with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and its charismatic music director, Kirill Karabits, in Violin Concertos by Benjamin Britten and Dmitri Shostakovich. The Britten an early work, was completed in the September of 1939, just as World War II broke out. Britten had already composed 'Our Hunting Fathers' in 1935 (words by W.H Auden), and this work’s ferocious condemnation of political extremism and man’s inhumanity can to some extent be detected in the concerto. The barbarity of the Spanish Civil War (the concerto was written for the young Spanish violinist Antonio Brosa), the rise of Hitler’s Nazis and the persecution of the Jews appalled Britten. Peace and reconciliation was his credo, as exemplified in the later 'War Requiem'. In the scherzo tuba and piccolos present the listener with an image of the horrifying abyss mankind was lurching towards. The first of Shostakovich’s two violin concertos was composed in 1948 for David Oistrakh. It had to wait until 1955 for its premiere due to the ban on ‘serious’ music by the notorious Zhdanov Conference and Party Decree of 1948. Only ‘patriotic’ music was allowed. With Stalin’s death in 1953 Shostakovich was finally able to exert his artistic freedom. It is a truly symphonic work in scale, grand, dramatic and cast in four movements with a huge cadenza placed before the finale. Only in the finale does the sun burst out in a brilliant helter-skelter coda. “it's the way that James Ehnes closes the opening movement [of the Britten] that most impresses, essaying a gossamer thread of such subtlety it becomes almost transparent.” The Independent, 10th May 2013 *** |
| | | Scheduled for release on 3 June 2013. Order it now and we will deliver it as soon as it is available. |
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Gramophone Awards 2012
Gramophone Magazine
Penguin Guide