James Ehnes & Orchestre du Centre national des arts du Canada – Bach: Complete Violin Concertos

Canadian violinist James Ehnes offers a complete set of Bach’s violin concertos, both for solo violin and those for violin with other instruments. Eight works spread over two albums, in which the Canadian soloist offers calm, studious readings of these masterpieces. He is joined by such excellent peers as Joanna G’froerer on flute and Luc Beauséjour on harpsichord for BWV 1044, Yosuke Kawasaki on violin for BWV 1043, Charles Hamann on oboe for BWV 1060R, and again Yosuke Kawasaki, with Jessica Linnebach on violins for BWV 1064R. 

Calm and studious, I say, because that’s the result that emerges from this elegant complete workload, without any disturbing or extravagant rough edges. The tempos are just what you’d expect, and the nuances avoid the precocious Sturm und Drang (storm and stress) of some rival versions, helping to highlight the delicate, precise playing of the soloists’ voices and that of the orchestra. Bach’s music, all clarity and quiet refinement.