Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
April 8, 2018

A Limelight reviewer recently said Canadian violinist James Ehnes is ready to take his place in the pantheon of great virtuosos in the company of the likes of Grumiaux, Kogan and Oistrakh, while another critic said that his kind only comes along every hundred years.

This reviewer has been fortunate to hear Ehnes perform the Tchaikovsky and Beethoven concertos with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, both under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy, and his elegance, attention to detail and formidable musicality made a great impression. All the more reason to relish his appearance in the latest of the Utzon Series in an intimate and informal setting, performing two of Bach’s solo partitas and one of his sonatas.

Ehnes, looking boyish and wearing a dark grey suit, showed his relaxed side by asking his audience if they minded if he played with his back to them so he could admire the harbour view, before launching into the swaggering Preludio from the Partita No 3 in E minor with its almost boastful cross-bowing and loud-quiet echoing passages, all judged to perfection. Watching Ehnes, like all the great players, he makes it all seem so effortless, belying the hours of practice...