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Ehnes Quartet

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Ehnes Quartet is a string quartet built around the Canadian-American violinist James Ehnes. Ehnes was born in 1976 in Brandon, Manitoba, the son of a trumpet teacher and a former ballet dancer. He began violin lessons as a child and was already touring with Jeunesses Musicales Canada at sixteen. He has performed as a soloist with major orchestras in North America and Europe, such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the London orchestras, and plays the 1715 Stradivarius known as the ex-Marsick. He is artistic director of the Seattle Chamber Music Society.

Music and breakthrough

In the quartet Ehnes plays together with the violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, the violist Che-Yen Chen and the cellist Edward Arron. Their recordings include Schubert's String Quartet No. 14, Death and the Maiden, together with Sibelius's Intimate Voices, from 2016, and the late string quartets of Beethoven, released in 2021 and 2022. An album of American chamber music has also appeared. Ehnes's recordings have won many prizes, including Grammys, Junos and Gramophone Awards.

Influence

The quartet shows what the string quartets of Beethoven and Schubert have to offer in a contemporary, clear performance, with four string players who play as one instrument.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the opening of Schubert's Death and the Maiden and notice how the four strings begin together at first, almost like a chorale. Can you hear how the voices then each take on a role of their own?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists