Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole; Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3; Sarasate: Concert Fantasy on Bizet's Carmen

by BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Overview

James Ehnes is one of the busiest violinists in the business, and one may be astonished not only by how much he accomplishes but also by how well. Here, with the BBC Philharmonic and conductor Juanjo Mena, he offers three violin-and-orchestra works that are familiar enough today and would have been absolute warhorses a century ago. The works are certainly related; both Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21, and Saint-Saëns' Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor were dedicated to the author of the third work, Pablo de Sarasate, and all three require a lot of unflagging precision from the soloist. This is effortlessly provided by Ehnes. However, the Lalo and the Saint-Saëns demand entirely different things from the violinist. Ehnes imbues the Saint-Saëns with the clean, Mozartian spirit that the composer assigned to it, while the melodic lushness and Spanish rhythms of the Lalo come through in full. If one could ask for one thing more from this album, it might be more Spanish flair in the Carmen Concert Fantasy, Op. 25, of Sarasate himself, but this is likely to be a matter of taste; Sarasate was writing for concert-hall audiences that might have preferred it this way. A thoroughly satisfying violin release in the classic mode, this album made classical best-seller lists in early 2025. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	04/04/2025
Label:	CHANDOS
UPC:	0095115233320

Tracks

1. Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 in D minor for Violin and Orchestra~I. Allegro non troppo - Sans ralentir
2. Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 in D minor for Violin and Orchestra~II. Scherzando. Allegro molto - Poco più lento - Tempo I - [ ] - Tempo I
3. Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 in D minor for Violin and Orchestra~III. Intermezzo. Allegretto non troppo - Un peu plus lent - tempo I
4. Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 in D minor for Violin and Orchestra~IV. Andante
5. Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 in D minor for Violin and Orchestra~V. Rondo. Allegro - Sans ralentir - Poco più lento - Poco più lento - Accelerando poco a poco - Accelerando - Tempo I [Allegro] - Sans ralentir
6. Concerto No. 3, Op. 61 in B minor for Violin with Orchestral Accompaniment~I. Allegro non troppo
7. Concerto No. 3, Op. 61 in B minor for Violin with Orchestral Accompaniment~II. Andantino quasi allegretto - Molto tranquillo
8. Concerto No. 3, Op. 61 in B minor for Violin with Orchestral Accompaniment~III. Molto moderato e maestoso - Più mosso - Allegro non troppo - Più allegro
9. Concert Fantasy on Bizet's 'Carmen', Op. 25~Introducción [Entr'acte before Act IV]. Allegro moderato -
10. Concert Fantasy on Bizet's 'Carmen', Op. 25~I. [Act I, Habanera] Moderato - Più animato -
11. Concert Fantasy on Bizet's 'Carmen', Op. 25~II. [Act I, 'Tra la la...Coupe-moi, brûle-moi'.] Lento assai - Pressez - A tempo - Pressez - Lento - Tempo I
12. Concert Fantasy on Bizet's 'Carmen', Op. 25~III. [Act I, Séguedille.] Allegro moderato - Più animato -
13. Concert Fantasy on Bizet's 'Carmen', Op. 25~IV. [Act II, Chanson bohème.] Moderato - Pressez - Animato

Album Credits

Performance Credits

James Ehnes   Primary Artist,Violin
Juanjo Mena   Primary Artist,Conductor
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra

Technical Credits

Chris Payne   Photography
Zoe Beyers   Leader
Alexander James   Editing
Karen Marchlik   A&R
Camille Saint-Saens   Composer
Edouard Lalo   Composer
Hugh MacDonald   Liner Notes
Benjamin Ealovega   Cover Photo,Photography
Stephen Rinker   Engineer
Finn S. Gundersen   Booklet Editor
Pablo de Sarasate   Composer
Tom Parnell   Assistant Engineer
Mike George   Recording Producer
Cass Cassidy   Design,Typesetting