ALBUMSonatas For Violin and Harpsichord, Vol. 1 (Sonates pour violin et clavecin, Vol. 1)James Ehnes & Luc Beauséjour
ALBUMJohn Adams: Phrygian Gates, Hallelujah Junction, China Gates & Road MoviesAndrew Russo & James Ehnes
ALBUMDallapiccola: Tartiniana, Due Pezzi, Piccola Musica Notturna, Variazioni & Frammenti Sinfonici dal Balletto MarsiaGianandrea Noseda, BBC Philharmonic & James Ehnes
ALBUMFritz KreislerJames Ehnes
ALBUMWieniawski & Sarasate: Violin ShowpiecesJames Ehnes & Eduard Laurel
ALBUMBach: The Six Sonatas & Partitas for Solo ViolinJames Ehnes
ALBUMPaganini: 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1James Ehnes
His disciplined style opens up new sounds and emotions.
About James Ehnes
Artist Biography
One of the most discerning violinists on the world circuit, James Ehnes has the rare ability to shine as a soloist in concerto performances of commanding authority, as well as in collaboration with other players in chamber music—not least in his own, much-admired Ehnes Quartet. That he was born (in 1976) in Canada rather than Europe or the United States may be a factor in his versatility, since the violin tradition there is relatively modest and hadn’t bred too many first-rank virtuosos until Ehnes came along. The child of performing artists, he took up his instrument at age four, was playing concerto dates as a teenager and eventually went to study at The Juilliard School—where his skills were sharpened by the dazzling assertiveness of the string department. These days, he’s a go-to player for the 20th-century concerto repertoire—Barber, Bartók, Korngold, Walton—and a champion of new work by composers like Aaron Jay Kernis, whose 2017 concerto was premiered by Ehnes. In that other realm of chamber playing, he’s devoted recent years to a recorded cycle of Beethoven violin sonatas with pianist Andrew Armstrong that have fairly been called life-enhancing. And with his quartet he released another Beethoven cycle in 2021, shortly before he won Artist of the Year at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards. It was a popular decision, honouring a genial and valued player.
Hometown
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Genre
Classical
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