Sweet and sprightly, this first volume of
Bach's sonatas for violin and keyboard by
James Ehnes and
Luc Beauséjour is, all by itself, sufficient reason to convince even the most despairing nihilist of the undeniable beauty of life. The lightness and clarity of
Ehnes' tone, coupled with the brilliance and lucidity of
Beauséjour's touch, creates an aural world of grace and elegance, a world of singing lines and ringing harmonies, of infectious rhythms and soaring counterpoint.
Ehnes and
Beauséjour play like old friends who know each other's ways of making a point or turning a phrase, and their performances are both intense and relaxed, concentrated and comfortable. While there are certainly other performances of these works one should also hear, from the venerable Sigiswald Kuijken with
Gustav Leonhardt to the recent
Fabio Biondi with
Rinaldo Alessandrini, these performances are still completely successful and thoroughly enjoyable. Analekta's sound is bright, crisp, and clear.