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| MOZART ANNIVERSARY CD | ||||||||||||||||
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| James Ehnes Records Mozart's Complete Output for Solo Violin and Orchestra | ||||||||||||||||
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As a tribute to the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth (which just happens to coincide with his own 30th birthday!), James Ehnes has recorded Mozart's complete output for solo violin and orchestra. The five Violin Concertos and three single movement works will be released worldwide on January 17, 2006. Catch James Ehnes talking about the new Mozart CD and perform during a recent appearance on CBC's Studio Sparks with Eric Friesen Listen to James speak about the Mozart recording project on Seattle's KING FM 98.1 Buy this double disc release online at the CBC Shop |
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| ARTIST'S NOTES | ||||||||||||||||
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The idea behind this recording was conceived several years ago. I
happen to share a birthday with Mozart - January 27th - and it struck
me that my 30th birthday, in 2006, would coincide with Mozart's 250th.
I had always hoped to record Mozart's violin concertos, so it seemed
natural to celebrate both Mozart's birthday and my own with a recording
of these works. While I have been fortunate to have had the pleasure
of playing Mozart with many great conductors, I decided that for this
recording I wanted to lead these pieces myself. In the fall of 2003,
I had a discussion with my good friends Jonathan Crow and Molly Read
regarding orchestras with which I could possibly record. They suggested
that the ideal orchestra for this project would be one that I would
form myself, an "all-star" ensemble made up of some of my favourite
players from around the globe. --James Ehnes |
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| THE MOZART ANNIVERSARY ORCHESTRA | ||||||||||||||||
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Learn
more about the members of the Mozart Anniversary Orchestra members
- bios
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| Buy this double disc release online at the CBC Shop | ||||||||||||||||
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| REVIEWS | ||||||||||||||||
| "In Mozart his manner of playing is ideally adapted to the gracefulness demanded, say, by the singing solo line of the andante in the D major Concerto K211 or the lovely Adagio K261. He wears his virtuosity lightly, whether in his own tasteful, exploratory cadenzas or in the nimble passage-work elsewhere, bringing to these performances a compelling poise, sensibility and malleability of tone. This is a must-have set." CLASSICAL CD OF THE WEEK (Daily Telegraph, 12 August 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
| "James Ehnes's vital, elegant, beautifully proportioned playing of all five concertos. Still barely 30, the Canadian violinist here reinforces his credentials as one of the most brilliant and discerning players of his generation, with a sweet, gleaming tone and a purity of intonation that are second to none." (Gramophone, July 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
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"By
any standards a superb series of performances of Mozart's violin
concertos. [His] playing is warm and expressive without a hint of
preciousness, and effortlessly musical throughout. His ensemble
is made up of some of his friends and colleagues from various Canadian
and American orchestras, but the players sound as though they have
been making music together for years." ORCHESTRAL CD OF THE
MONTH (BBC Music Magazine, June 2006) |
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"James
Ehnes finds a distinct and strongly differentiated personality in
each concerto and scrubs away any "easy listening" assumptions
on the listener's part. He compels you to hear these works afresh
and to take them seriously. He finds a wealth of expressive nuance
in each movement and projects those riches with splendidly full
tone, thoughtful phrasing, and full integration of the orchestral
writing with the solo part. The CBC engineers have found have found
an ideal balance between soloist and ensemble and have captured
Mr Ehnes's distinguished interpretations in warm, crystalline sound."
(American Record Guide, May/June 2006) |
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"From
the opening bars of the earliest of Mozart's five concertos (K207
from 1773), you know you're in for a treat with sparking tempi,
buoyant rhythms throughout and a soloist whose unerring expressive
and technical ability puts a spring in your step. In addition to
the concertos are the Adagio (K219) and two Rondos (K269 and K373)
making this release a clear first choice in the field." (Classic
FM, May 2006) |
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"Where
virtuosity is required (and the flying scales in the main theme
of the finale of [Concerto No. 1] are an example) Ehnes glides through
these deceptively demanding moments with great elegance. This and
similar passages make great demands; Ehnes weaves them into the
music with admirable absence of showiness. ...These are very special
performances and they show that it is possible to challenge the
listener with refreshing new ideas without using the music merely
as a vehicle to display the performer's skills." (Classical
Source, 29 May 2006) |
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| "For Ehnes purity of sound, absolute bow control and jewelled perfection of intonation are paramount. For close on two and a half hours he sustains a flawlessness of articulation and tonal focus that even in this age of super-virtuosos really take some believing. The early B flat major Concerto is enchantingly played, with no attempt to over-inflate its delicate Rococo gesturing. The chamber music proclivities of the ‘big three’ (nos.3–5) are also worlds removed from the pseudo-symphonic muscle of Oistrakh and Menuhin (both EMI), and are entirely free of Kremer-style, flautando eccentricity (DG). Ehnes sensibly divides the orchestral violins left and right, which gives Mozart’s middle-register textures added interest, and he provides his own tasteful and effective cadenzas. The recording places him and his orchestra in a natural perspective, gently cushioning the upper partials and resulting in a warm glow that matches the music making itself." (Strad, April 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
| "The
young Canadian James Ehnes follows the glamorous German virtuosa Anne-Sophie
Mutter, but his accounts of these beloved works...are more rewarding.
Ehnes offers modern-instrument Mozart, enlivened by brisk tempi, expressive
nuance and an infectious joie de vivre demanded by the exuberant fast
movements, especially the whirling dervish-like "Turkish" music of
the A major's finale (No 5). ...these are beautifully thought-out
and rewarding performances." CLASSICAL
CD OF THE WEEK (Sunday Times, 19 March 2006) To read the full review, click here |
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| "A
transcendent digital recording of Mozart's entire output for solo
violin and orchestra. Ehnes proves once again that he possesses a
rich tone, impeccable intonation and a simply beautiful way with a
phrase. I especially appreciate the shaping of the solo playing in
slow movements: the way the long-lined melodies spin effortlessly
out into the ether. In the faster movements, Ehnes' playing is poised
and always at the service of the music. ...the performances shimmer
with energy and a refreshing sense of spontaneity. All cadenzas are
written by Ehnes and, as a labour of love, this whole recording -
all two CDs worth - is a magnificent achievement and stands head and
shoulders above a recent similar project from Anne-Sophie Mutter."
DISC OF THE MONTH (Wholenote, March 2006) To read the full review, click here |
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| "Brilliant"
(Toronto Star, 16 March 2006) To read the full review, click here |
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| "One would have difficulty picking out a favourite from this group, for all are played with the same love and care." (Leader-Post, 15 February 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
| "A sparkling new double-disc set...On "James Ehnes: Mozart" he plays all five of the authenticated violin concertos, all from Mozart's teen years, with Ehnes' own stylish cadenzas. His glorious tone is shaped with care and finesse in these performances; the small, agile orchestra is his perfect complement." (Seattle Times, 10 February 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
| "Ehnes plays with a clean, clear, sweet tone, bright and technically lively. He has written all his own cadenzas and they are finely tailored to elaborate the cadences in a traditional way...a stunning set of performances." (Chronicle Herald, 11 February 2006) | ||||||||||||||||
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"Masterfully played by this top-notch musician." (WDAV 89.9, 3 February 2006) |
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"It
is true that, no matter what the repertoire, James Ehnes cultivates
a graceful style, fluid, light and elegant. The sensitivity, always
lively, and the warmth of the sonority are his trademarks. Mozart
brings these qualities to the forefront. The spirit with which he
plays, its transparency, its facility, translates into an execution
of which one never tires. " (Le Soleil,
28 January 2006) |
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"I've
been listening to this new release all week, and comparing it with
others - both classic recordings of these works from the past, and
new ones, released recently to celebrate the Mozart 250 year. ...this
Canadian release from James Ehnes comes out on top. I can't imagine
these works being done any better. ... These are elegant and graceful
readings, without being dainty and precious. Once again, we see
the tasteful, stylish James Ehnes, with perfectly judged tempos.
It's [Mozart Anniversary Orchestra] a highly polished ensemble...the
small size allows clean and clear textures." (Rick
Phillips, Sound Advice, 21 January 2006) |
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"Ehnes
takes his place alongside Mullova, Fischer and Mutter, but also,
in the great tradition of Grumiaux and Stern, that of an absolute
apollonian beauty. The advantage, compared to these recordings of
the 60's, is the perfect size of the orchestra...its quality of
sound and the fresh pulse that drives it. ...Ehnes, without hesitating,
shapes Mozart in pure sound. For the less adventurous music-lover
nostalgic for the great Grumiaux, he (Ehnes) is the perfect choice,
as much for his constant attention to detail, as for the remarkably
even and exceptional quality from the first to the fifth Concerto."
(Classics Today France, January 2006) |
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"Ehnes shows his sweet tone, superb poise and congenial style in fine accounts." (Winnipeg Free Press, 21 January 2006) |
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