The Complete Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin performed by James Ehnes, violin, and Andrew Armstrong, piano

For Beethoven's 250th birthday, James Ehnes and Andrew Armstrong are giving us the gift of a complete violin-sonata cycle over the course of the season. These ten beloved works are cornerstones of the chamber-music repertoire; they tell the story of Beethoven's unique artistic evolution just as clearly, even if not as spectacularly or dramatically, as the symphonies or the string quartets.

JANUARY 14, 2020
Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24, "Spring"
Sonata No. 6 in A major, Op. 30, No. 1
Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47, "Kreutzer"
Preconcert lecture given by: Brian MacGilvery

James Ehnes returns to the CCMS series this season to perform the complete Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin with pianist Andrew Armstrong. This program stems from a happy accident: three years ago, the duo was scheduled to record a newly commissioned piece; however, the composer failed to deliver the score on time, so in  a last-minute decision, the musicians chose to record Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas No. 9 and No. 6. The critically acclaimed recording encouraged them to program the complete series, which promises to yield Ehnes’s rare combination of stunning virtuosity, serene lyricism, and unfaltering musicality, with Armstrong’s passionate expression and dazzling technique.
Cleveland Chamber Music Society exists to promote, foster and encourage the culture, study and playing of chamber and ensemble music through concerts and other programs beneficial to the educational and cultural welfare of Greater Cleveland and its vicinity. For 70 years we have unfailingly presented our audiences with the world’s best available chamber music at the lowest possible cost.