James Ehnes plays Ysaÿe Sonata No. 6

James Ehnes plays Eugène Ysaÿe's Sonata No. 6.
Eugène Ysaÿe 6 Sonatas for Solo Violin available from Onyx Classics, lnk.to/ysaye-jamesehnes
Complete films of "Recitals from Home", featuring the 6 Sonatas by Ysaÿe and the 6 Sonatas and Partitas by J.S. Bach, are available at www.jamesehnes.com/recitalsfromhome

[@radualexa1356]

It's flawless, and so in tune. It's so pure

[@user-hk6bf4yo3x]

He is undoubtedly my favorite violinist!! Thank you for uploading this wonderful performance

[@johnnychacha3029]

Agree completely. He is the real deal.

[@allthumbs3792]

Agree! He has all the gifts and skills in perfect working order. He can deliver the fire and finesse where desired. A stunning performer and consummate artist!

[@TacticalStrike]

Hilary and him are my favorites

[@johnsoloninka322]

My wife and I listened to his whole Bach/Ysaye sonata series broadcast from his house in Florida during COVID. It was a cultural lifesaver then!!! These are definitive recordings!

[@veritasastro]

I have always loved Kavakos's interpretation and regarded him as the best of Ysaye's sonata(along with Shumsky). But yours is my new favorite. I pay my respects to you.

[@shawkobezhu]

The down bow staccato tenth @ 2:50 .... soooo crisp

[@mikefung9145]

5:51 Sounds like mario when you are advancing to the next stage

[@josephotoshi]

I was thinking the same thing! 😂

[@bianchiviolin]

It's wonderful how these six sonatas have come to the fore in recent years. Played with this level of brilliance they sound amazing. They are also excellent study material.

[@cynthiacarr4252]

❤ Marvelous.

[@stevengates4437]

I'm sold this time....a stunning wonderful performance...

[@galinakrivulin6767]

Mesmerizing any time I watch him playing! Thank you.

[@galinakrivulin6767]

I just fished listening to all sonatas on the album. Breathtaking to say mildly. Thank you for pure joy.

[@amulyakumar4249]

His is pure magic. I downloaded it and listen to it when I go to work in the morning. It wakes up the intellect and sense for beauty and grace and makes just happy.

[@xiao_teachingviolin416]

Such perfection. And so romantically beautiful, which is so hard to portray while trying to master a jungle of technique. Masterful!

[@tolgabarandilek4277]

Absolute perfection

[@violinchick25]

Wow, SO CLEAN! Thank you for another wonderful upload.

[@petersmith2216]

Sound is amazing! Downbow staccato - Wow! He also makes it look so easy !

[@clearbrookprogram5924]

Absolutely wonderful!

[@lysoCobra]

Bravo, c'est immense ! Vive Ysaÿe !

[@shiqixu2902]

Wow. I mean, wow!! And thank you so much for opening a youtube channel

[@sergybear]

Love the clarity and brilliance in your tone! Very enjoyable!

[@cordulas2948]

I like your playing very much. It is with love and power and no violence, great !

[@graceonaga3094]

Really loved this! Great musicality and pacing, but of course, you are one of the virtuosos of our age. Thank you for the upload!

[@seullee883]

Thank you for sharing this amazing performance!!

[@hairnsap]

Your coaxing a mighty tone from that violin sir ! Thanks for sharing

[@rafichang3852]

My personal GOAT

[@heifetz14]

Ricci is watching you with great admiration. Thanks for your great playing.

[@personalnotesmusic]

Stunning! Thanks for sharing!

[@JohnTheHopeful]

Imagine being the absolute best at something compared to all living human beings?

[@mbradley5683]

Lol very good question, but you also have to think of the dunning Kruger effect,. James probably doesn’t feel like, he’s the ABSOLUTE BEST on the planet, cause he doesn’t know anything else. And learning violin definitely wasn’t easy for him. Most people who have that thought tend to be quite the opposite😅. But it does make me wonder if he(or any soloists for that matter) just constantly think they’re good, or just think everyone else sucks and they’re wondering why they’re mind is different, probably the latter

[@igrowtowerspermaculture9055]

IF YOU WRITE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE THING...YOU ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT THAT!

[@JohnTheHopeful]

@@igrowtowerspermaculture9055 Well put man! When a field of attention is from our own initiative and interest, great things happen!

[@JasielMartini]

Going to see him in Raleigh later this month for the Brahms violin concerto op. 77. So excited.

[@rafaelmacedo7155]

Awesome, thanks for share.

[@fiddling_tech2150]

Sounds great!!!!

[@gabriel1chan]

Wow. Amazing.

[@johnalexander301]

Brilliant thanks

[@gabriel1chan]

You will make a great contribution to the violin music in modern time if you can systematically record all the usage sonatas. Can’t wait for the next. Moreover, each video is north multiple watching as there are just so much to watch and learn. Watching once is definitely not enough.

[@belenclifford8599]

Bravo! Outstanding performance, also a super nice violino 🎻

[@koksklaus08]

🤩Such a great performance. Hardly to describe technical challenges James is tackling with "easy" excellent musicality and pure passion in such a monster violinist masterpiece. Come to Munich for a concert, I would pay for all tickets in Prinzregenten-Theater.😉

[@davidalegre5850]

Bravo! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@mintchoco5640]

Such a fundamentally sound player! Doesn't make anything harder than it needs to be

[@leoncioviolin]

BRAVO

[@xmkks1339]

I love you

[@strings1984]

Well played sir. Well played.

[@riccardopini9340]

Magnifico artista

[@justxigoldenix9909]

Pardon the language, but you are such an insane violinist, super cool performance!

[@morganontheviolin]

Love getting to see Ysaÿe performed like this. I'm a little curious about those microphones. They look like they are in a glass bubble. Does that help pick up more of the audio's nuances?

[@germanruiz7144]

Maravilloso!!!!

[@vivi2010ification]

Que fabuloso descubrimiento como musico.....bravisimo ❤❤

[@mariaelviranapoleaonapolea7230]

Bravo 👏👏👏Soberbo. Amei. Quanta maravilha para a alma. Agradecida.

[@andrewq842]

I miss his old videos for some reason I can no longer find them here in KZbin :(😢

[@dianelee6862]

You can even see the passion in how his hair flops to the music

[@cordulas2948]

Play concerts in southern Germany, please ! That would be a pleasure ! Great performances !!!

[@colemckeel8000]

The straight picky tho. Jk this is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. Truly a master.

[@naddochang]

found him from brilliant Polonaise de Concert recording on Spotify

[@violinbuff3782]

Extraordinary playing! Eric Shumsky

[@angelarudden7646]

James Ehnes for prime minister!!!!!!

[@saimiride]

Hi you are such an example for us violinists thank you 🙏 little question what do you use like a microphone I have so much trouble to find a good one to record my violin and yours seem great thanks

[@eliseialexandraellisei1177]

👍👍👍

[@Hector_Piriz]

La ostia

[@thomasblair5694]

Einfach ausgezeichnet!

[@nikosmandylas2639]

Wonderful playing, amazing performance! What microphones are you using?

[@JustFiddler]

Matur suksma

[@stefansack2726]

Perfekt thank you LG Stefan Sack professionell Violin and Viola Player Technik Ivan Galamian Konzerte und Unterricht

[@tytyprada]

What shoulder rest is that? It looks so comfortable.

[@twagdrewer1296]

Kun Bravo

[@evoandy]

@@twagdrewer1296 yup nailed it. I used a kun bravo for years when I could still play violin but eventually switched to an everest because I would wear the rubber off of the feet of all of my kun rests. my students all liked the bravo though because the wood looked fancy.

[@twagdrewer1296]

@@evoandy Okay. I’ve actually never used a kun shoulder rest but from what I’ve heard from colleagues, they fit to their instruments very well and also don’t make the sound worse. I use the korfker rest and really fell in love with it after using several types, just makes the violin sound a little brighter and all in all very beautiful.

[@sarabanda12]

Oooh l have the same KUN BRAVO!!!!!​@twagdrewer1296

[@greenviolist34]

Whomever boos is just without feeling, heart, and isn't human. Let's face it... when the great and wonderful Perlman departs us... through the falling ash will emerge only few that could be said to take his place.... Here is one of those candidates.

[@susannestechow3651]

Schwer! Toll!

[@seungjaelee9993]

wo....w..

[@kennethlee8792]

Wow his hand is huge

[@ahsu0208]

what kind of microphones are those?

[@raychii871]

HE'S FATHERING OMG HE'S FATHERING

[@fingersatzundbogenstrich6653]

I am lost in admiration...

[@tezi9626]

wtf those thirds at 0:14

[@deinemutter6097]

wtf those fingered octaves that i’ve never heard so in tune in my entire life

[@tezi9626]

@@deinemutter6097 lol ikr i cant even do normal octaves in tune lol

[@merlijndecoorde5429]

The first 21 seconds are the most jawdropping of this entire recording, dude's insane

[@luke1835]

@@deinemutter6097 yeah the fingered octaves are insane

[@gregorydocenko4019]

Exceptional performance! The microphones,camera, lighting were distracting.They were in the way. You wouldn’t see this live.

[@jenshoffmann2210]

Very nice performance. The video cuts are too periodic and distracting.

[@cjg6364]

James simply attacks this notoriously difficult piece of music with a vengeance - beautifully done for the most part. If I had to nitpick, I'd say his tempo is a bit off. Some of the passages appear to be a little rushed and slurred together which loses some of the dramatic effect Ysaye was shooting for. With a dramatic piece of music like this, getting the right tempo/cadence is a significant part of the daunting challenge Sonata #6 represents. Some other notable virtuosos stretch the piece out to more than 7 minutes. The 6:46 elapsed time underscores the point and it's not a matter of an "up-pitched" recording - his pace is noticeably too fast which keeps this remarkable performance one step shy of being "perfect".

[@mhv1279]

Thanks for the analysis of which I do agree each point. Can be compared to Kerson Leong's two performances : one during the Waterloo Festival kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHezn3iteJdmfbM and the other, may be at home kzbin.info/www/bejne/pp6qdHyfrNmlebc Each of them is played in 7.30 approx. If James Ehnes is "one step shy of being perfect", to my ears of non-musician Kerson's recording at MuCH is the best. The other (at home) seems technically perfect but the festival's version has something more (because played with public ?). It is filled with some rage in the first part, followed by a part full of tenderness... Maybe you could share a competent lighting about these two recordings ? Would be very interested in reading because i'm writing something about these mastepieces (the 6 Ysaÿe sonatas) and i lack technical arguments. Thank you !

[@user-hk6bf4yo3x]

What the hell are you talking about? You didn't listen to Hilary Hahn or Gidon Kremer?

[@cjg6364]

@@user-hk6bf4yo3x It's easy when playing #6 to focus on getting through the challenges of rendering every note correctly with the right speed changes and pauses. When you've finally mastered those mechanics, you can move on to presenting the correct level of pause and accent that establishes the dramatic effect the composer sought to produce with the piece. That's what separates the posers/showoffs from true virtuoso musicians. Try listening to Augustin Hadelich's version. When you find yourself "experiencing the music" rather than gushing over technical violin gymnastics, you will have discovered true virtuosity and the very highest level of musicianship. To my ears, Hillary's version of #6 is practically unlistenable. She and James are fantastically skilled violin players - but that doesn't make them violin musician virtuosos.

[@user-hk6bf4yo3x]

What?? I've already listened to Augustin's performance. Actually Augustin and James are my favorite violinists. James is a true virtuoso as well, what are you talking about? It's just a matter of interpretation you cannot judge his virtuosity with such a reason. For me, he is perfect.

[@cjg6364]

@@user-hk6bf4yo3x We agree that it's a matter of interpretation. What we don't agree with is the use of the term "virtuoso". You can train a lot of 13 year olds to become musician athletes that can render incredible sequences of notes in pitch perfect fashion. But it takes many years to learn how to read music well enough to draw out the subtle cues/phrasing habits of a particular composer and apply them to a given interpretation that does justice to his/her original intent. That's what distinguishes a musical athlete from a virtuoso. I happen to like James' version - I would remind you that I was "nitpicking" by suggesting it could be a little better if slowed down/spaced out in some parts. What we are talking about goes beyond minor reservations about interpretation. There is a 30 second difference between Augustin's version and Hillary's popular version in Berlin and it has a major impact on the level of "drama" that gets baked into the music - a critical aspect of what the listener is supposed to experience.

[@achimyi0709]

Who is here after watching Twoset?

[@ryanc2469]

"he never f*cks up" - lingling wannabe

[@antonyroach6802]

That thumb -_-

[@musicfirst5020]

Technically flawless as usual, but there's something "extra," that unique character, that is missing from his playing and sound, at least for me. I would like to see him try playing without all that scaffolding under his violin.

[@sarabanda12]

I totally desagree. James is playing with a big heart. ❤

[@muslit]

As usual, impeccable. But boring and incoherent.

[@maxwellherrmann6230]

boi u out ur got damn mind