Ehnes & Armstrong Play Brahms & Schumann in Bloomington, MN

James Ehnes
is one of the hottest violinists in the world right now, but he is also an excellent violist and a chance to hear him on that instrument is in itself worth listeners' time and money. Hence, the appearance of this album on classical best-seller lists in the late autumn of 2024, but there is more to it than that.
Ehnes
and pianist
Andrew Armstrong
select what may be the ideal 19th century viola chamber music program. The Romantic viola repertory is not large, and given that, it is rather surprising that
Robert Schumann
's
Märchenbilder, Op. 113
, are not programmed more often. These "Fairy Tale Images" may seem slight, but they're not. For one thing, they have no specific program; they appeal exclusively to the listener's sense of fantasy. For another, they're filled with unorthodox harmonic moves; they are good examples of
Schumann
's elusive late style. As such, they make an ideal curtain raiser for the
Brahms
Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120
, heard in their viola versions. The transcription was made by
, with some small alterations to the clarinet part, and in
' hands, they sound like they were viola works all the way. The range of colors in his playing as
' lines circulate through their carefully calibrated registers is remarkable and is, in fact, greater than anything that could be achieved on a clarinet. The church acoustic chosen by the
Onyx
label is not really right for this music, but it does no violence to the remarkable detail of
' performance. A standout chamber music release. ~ James Manheim