Sibelius: Works for Violin & Orchestra James Ehnes, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra & Edward Gardner

• Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957): Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47:
• 1 Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47: I. Allegro moderato 15:34
• 2 Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47: II. Adagio di molto 08:18
• 3 Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47: III. Allegro, ma non tanto 07:16
• 2 Humoresques, Op. 87:
• 4 Sibelius: 2 Humoresques, Op. 87: No. 1, Commodo 03:31
• 5 Sibelius: 2 Humoresques, Op. 87: No. 2, Allegro assai 02:25
• 4 Humoresques, Op. 89:
• 6 Sibelius: 4 Humoresques, Op. 89: No. 1, Alla gavotta 04:13
• 7 Sibelius: 4 Humoresques, Op. 89: No. 2, Andantino 03:32
• 8 Sibelius: 4 Humoresques, Op. 89: No. 3, Commodo 03:19
• 9 Sibelius: 4 Humoresques, Op. 89: No. 4, Allegro 03:18
• 2 Pieces, Op. 77:
• 10 Sibelius: 2 Pieces, Op. 77: No. 1, Cantique 05:02
• 11 Sibelius: 2 Pieces, Op. 77: No. 2, Dévotion 03:00
• 2 Serenades, Op. 69:
• 12 Sibelius: 2 Serenades, Op. 69: No. 1 in D Major 05:19
• 13 Sibelius: 2 Serenades, Op. 69: No. 2 in G Minor 06:28
• Suite for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 117 in D Minor:
• 14 Sibelius: Suite for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 117 in D Minor: I. Country Scenery 02:10
• 15 Sibelius: Suite for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 117 in D Minor: II. Serenade. Evening in Spring 03:54
• 16 Sibelius: Suite for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 117 in D Minor: III. In the Summer 01:50
• Total Runtime 01:19:09

Info for Sibelius: Works for Violin & Orchestra

Sibelius studied the violin in his youth, and actively entertained the prospect of a career as a professional violinist for much of his student life. After graduating from the Helsinki Music Institute, in 1890, he went to Vienna to continue his studies, and while there he even auditioned (unsuccessfully) for a place in the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. So, it comes as no surprise that the instrument plays an important place in his compositional output. What might be surprising is that he wrote only one concerto – this might perhaps be due to the difficult conception of the work. The first performance received mixed reviews, and led to extensive revision of the score. It was only when Jascha Heifetz in the 1930s started to perform the concerto regularly that it gained its place in the standard repertoire. Although there was no second concerto, Sibelius’s numerous other works for violin and orchestra are no mere miniatures, as the recordings on this album amply demonstrate. The acclaimed international virtuoso James Ehnes is accompanied here by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Edward Gardner.

James Ehnes, violin
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Edward Gardner, conductor

James Ehnes
Known for his virtuosity and probing musicianship, violinist James Ehnes has performed in over 30 countries on five continents, appearing regularly in the world’s great concert halls and with many of the most celebrated orchestras and conductors.

In the 2013-2014 season James performs in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Russia, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Australia. Season highlights include concerts with the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Toronto Symphony, and a three-week residency in Melbourne, as well as performances in London, Paris, Berlin, Leipzig, Brussels, Prague, Tel Aviv, and Moscow. An avid chamber musician, Ehnes will tour with his string quartet, the Ehnes Quartet, and lead the winter and summer festivals of the Seattle Chamber Music Society, where he is the Artistic Director.

James Ehnes has an extensive discography of over 30 recordings featuring music ranging from J.S. Bach to John Adams. Recent projects include a disc featuring concertos by Britten and Shostakovich, three CDs of the music of Béla Bartók as well as a recording of Tchaikovsky’s complete oeuvre for violin. Upcoming releases include a double CD of the complete violin works by Prokofiev and a recording of Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto paired with Shostakovich’s String Quartets Nos. 7&8. His recordings have been honored with many international awards and prizes, including a Grammy, a Gramophone, and 7 Juno Awards.

James Ehnes was born in 1976 in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. He began violin studies at the age of four, and at age nine became a protégé of the noted Canadian violinist Francis Chaplin. He studied with Sally Thomas at the Meadowmount School of Music and from 1993 to 1997 at The Juilliard School, winning the Peter Mennin Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music upon his graduation. Mr. Ehnes first gained national recognition in 1987 as winner of the Grand Prize in Strings at the Canadian Music Competition. The following year he won the First Prize in Strings at the Canadian Music Festival, the youngest musician ever to do so. At age 13, he made his major orchestral solo debut with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

He has won numerous awards and prizes, including the first-ever Ivan Galamian Memorial Award, the Canada Council for the Arts’ Virginia Parker Prize, and a 2005 Avery Fisher Career Grant. James has been honoured by Brandon University with a Doctor of Music degree (honoris causa) and in 2007 he became the youngest person ever elected as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Canada. In 2010 the Governor General of Canada appointed James a Member of the Order of Canada, and in 2013 he was named an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, limited to a select group of 300 living distinguished musicians.

James Ehnes plays the "Marsick" Stradivarius of 1715.

Booklet for Sibelius: Works for Violin & Orchestra