James Ehnes, Wendy Chen - Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saëns: Violin Sonatas (2010)

The more I hear James Ehnes, the more impressed I become. He sounds mature beyond his years and there's something 'just right' about his musical choices. The violin sound is perfect and the vibrato is warm and wide without it becoming too wide. The performances are well paced... in the moment and unhurried when the music calls for it. I love how he pushes his Strad to bring out its gritty richness on the Tzigane without going too far into harshness. Gypsy to the core. That's a master at work. There's also a dark timber and a certain richness of overtones to his sound that I find imminently satisfying and deeply soulful. It's a quality I listen for in great violinists but seldom find as fully developed as here. Pianist Wendy Chen (Julliard grad) is just as precocious. They are hypnotic together, especially in a work such as Ravel's Berceuse. They seem to be in total accord, perhaps from what seems to be a completely natural and instinctive understanding between them. Everything is played with commitment, artistry and devotion. The future of classic music is in good hands with such phenomenally gifted players on the ascent. It's heartening. I could listen for hours. Recommended.