Violinist James Ehnes is widely considered one of the most dynamic and exciting performers in classical music. He has performed in over 25 countries on five continents, appearing with many of the world’s most well-known orchestras and conductors. Ehnes’s extensive discography of over 20 recordings features music ranging from Bach violin sonatas to John Adams’s Road Movies. On this album, Ehnes performs one of the greats of the repertoire – Beethoven’s Violin Concerto – alongside Beethoven’s two Romances and Schubert’s Rondo for violin and orchestra.

Violin concerto in D Major, Op. 61: I. Allegro ma non troppo. James Ehnes, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze. Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Romance - Schubert: Romance. Harmonia Mundi (от лица компании "PM Classics/Onyx").

This pacing is placed mostly in the hands of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under conductor Andrew Manze, with Ehnes pulling against it in various ways. Sample the beginning of the finale, with Ehnes' boldly shaped theme set off against rather metronomic treatment in the orchestra. It often works well, and in the slow movement Ehnes takes wing. The opening movement plods at times, although Ehnes' technical consistency carries him through, and the splashy Kreisler cadenzas do not quite match the rest of what he does

Beethoven’s Violin Concerto represents the supreme challenge for violinists. A lukewarm reception at the concerto’s premiere in 1806 led to it being forgotten until Joseph Joachim resurrected it in the 1850s and restored to its rightful position as one of the greatest and most popular concertos for the instrument.

For couplings, Ehnes provides Beethoven's Romances for Violin and Orchestra, Nos. 1 and 2 and Franz Schubert's little Rondo in A major. And it's not even clear why Beethoven wrote them; that is, for what occasion. Whatever, they are highly popular and strongly Romantic. The Romance No. 1 is the slightly more serious of the two, which may have something to do with Beethoven's own.

Beethoven: Violin Concerto James Ehnes. Rondo in A Major, D. 951. By Franz Schubert. 6 Songs, 1 Hour 11 Minutes.

James Ehnes (violin), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze. Schubert: Rondo for violin and strings in A major, D438. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Beethoven’s Violin Concerto represents the supreme challenge for violinists.

James Ehnes vn Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze. Onyx (F) ONYX4167 (71' DDD). This interpretation of Beethoven's Violin Concerto could be considered 'old school' by today's standards. Both Ehnes and Manze are careful to give full value to the music's silences. This is particularly effective in the raptly lyrical Larghetto, where one is made aware that the music's fabric is actually all in pieces.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. 1 2 3 4 5. Artist songs. Rawsthorne: Practical Cats: II. The Old Gumbie Cat. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Alexander Armstrong. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Op. 61: III. Rondo (Allegro). Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Academy Of St., Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Dmitry Sitkovetsky/Academy of St. 10:19.

Solo: James Ehnes violin. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Manze.