James Ehnes plays Brahms
Sun Valley Pavilion 300 Dollar Rd, Sun Valley, Idaho, United StatesJames Ehnes, “A violinist in a class of his own” – The Times, brings Brahms’s gorgeous violin concerto (and his 1715 Stradivarius violin) to Sun Valley for this concert that previously was to feature Leonidas Kavakos, who unfortunately had to withdraw for medical reasons. Written for the greatest violinist alive in Brahms’s day, this concerto tests the soloist’s technique and musicianship, but the virtuosity remains in service of the music at all times. And it’s delightful music, from the turbulent first movement to the foot-stomping, Hungarian-inspired finale. The program opens with A Joyous Trilogy, by American composer Quinn Mason. In Mason’s words, he intended his piece to be “the very embodiment of happiness, an accessible work that would put any listener in a good mood.”