Cucumber-Cool Canadian

James Ehnes
Relaxing with Ex-Marsick

Another glorious Sunday afternoon in the Utzon Room at the Opera House, in the company of another incredible Canadian artist, (the second in less than a month - is it this perpetual sunshine that's luring them down here like migratory swallows?), this time in the form of 1715 Stradivarius-wielding violinist, James Ehnes!

Our programme today: three of the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin by Pipistrello's absolute favourite Baroque composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, viz., Partita No.3 in E major, Sonata No. 3 in C major and Partita No. 2 in D minor. O Happy Day! (sung to to the tune of O Canada!)

J.S. Bach
Unruffled in Leipzig

Nary even a frown of concentration shadowed Mr Ehnes' unruffled demeanour as he took us on a virtuosic tour, bookended by the delightful and much-favoured Preludio in the first suite and the stupendous Ciaccona of the last. Goodness, gracious, he is one cool cucumber ...

These 3pm concerts do enter the realm of dangerous territory for the performer: either there is the heavy harbour traffic attracting the eye of the recital-goer as all manner of pleasure and utility craft bustle past the windows - and oh! look! a cormorant! - or the combination of a glass of wine and soothing music colliding with Nanna-Nap Time can mean a few lolling heads on the more Senior of the music lovers. All par for the course for these professionals, I'm sure, while for the audience members, we are delighted, enlightened and sometimes refreshed.