J. S. Bach: The Complete Violin Concertos James Ehnes & Canadas National Arts Centre Orchestra

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042:
• 1 Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042: I. Allegro 07:09
• 2 Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042: II. Adagio 05:19
• 3 Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042: III. Allegro assai 02:43
• Concerto for Flute, Violin and Harpsichord in A Minor, BWV 1044:
• 4 Bach: Concerto for Flute, Violin and Harpsichord in A Minor, BWV 1044: I. Allegro 08:54
• 5 Bach: Concerto for Flute, Violin and Harpsichord in A Minor, BWV 1044: II. Adagio ma non tanto e dolce 05:32
• 6 Bach: Concerto for Flute, Violin and Harpsichord in A Minor, BWV 1044: III. Tempo di Alla breve 07:28
• Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C Minor, BWV 1060R:
• 7 Bach: Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C Minor, BWV 1060R: I. Allegro 05:00
• 8 Bach: Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C Minor, BWV 1060R: II. Adagio 05:07
• 9 Bach: Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C Minor, BWV 1060R: III. Allegro 03:40
• Violin Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052R:
• 10 Bach: Violin Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052R: I. Allegro 07:24
• 11 Bach: Violin Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052R: II. Adagio 05:34
• 12 Bach: Violin Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052R: III. Allegro 07:09
• Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041:
• 13 Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041: I. No tempo marking 03:48
• 14 Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041: II. Andante 06:11
• 15 Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041: III. Allegro assai 03:38
• Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043:
• 16 Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: I. Vivace 03:45
• 17 Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: II. Largo ma non tanto 06:24
• 18 Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: III. Allegro 04:47
• Violin Concerto in G Minor, BWV 1056R:
• 19 Bach: Violin Concerto in G Minor, BWV 1056R: I. No tempo marking 03:22
• 20 Bach: Violin Concerto in G Minor, BWV 1056R: II. Largo 02:52
• 21 Bach: Violin Concerto in G Minor, BWV 1056R: III. Presto 03:22
• Concerto for Three Violins in D Major, BWV 1064R:
• 22 Bach: Concerto for Three Violins in D Major, BWV 1064R: I. Allegro 06:09
• 23 Bach: Concerto for Three Violins in D Major, BWV 1064R: II. Adagio 05:52
• 24 Bach: Concerto for Three Violins in D Major, BWV 1064R: III. Allegro 04:36
• Total Runtime 02:05:45

Info for J. S. Bach: The Complete Violin Concertos

On this double album, acclaimed violinist James Ehnes joins forces with Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, an ensemble he’s had a friendship and artistic partnership with for more than three decades, to fulfill his longtime goal of recording Johann Sebastian Bach’s complete violin concertos. Bach’s masterful writing for violin is highlighted through several styles and instrumental combinations. This landmark recording showcases James Ehnes’s affinity for Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra and his deep connection to Bach’s legacy.

"The recording quality deserves special mention, capturing both the intimacy of solo passages and the full dynamic range of the ensemble with exceptional clarity and warmth. This is Bach playing of the highest order – intellectually rigorous yet brimming with joy. As Nelson McDougall, NAC Managing Director, aptly notes: "It's pure joy!"—a sentiment listeners will undoubtedly share." (yorkshiretimes.co.uk)

James Ehnes, violin
Joanna G'froerer, flute
Luc Beauséjour, harpsichord
Charles Hamann, oboe
Yosuke Kawasaki, concertmaster, violin
Jessica Linnebach, concertmaster, violin
Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra

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.

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. He currently lives in Bradenton, Florida with his family.

Booklet for J. S. Bach: The Complete Violin Concertos