James Ehnes and collaborators release Franck and Enescu album

Violinist James Ehnes and a hand-picked ensemble of collaborators have released a new album featuring César Franck’s Piano Quintet in F minor and George Enescu’s Octet for Strings in C Major, Op. 7. Recorded at Nordstrom Recital Hall in Seattle and produced by Simon Kiln, the recording features Ehnes as the artistic director of the Seattle Chamber Music Society.

The album pairs two works that push chamber music toward a symphonic scale through vast structures and recurring themes. The performance includes pianist Inon Barnatan, violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, violist Che-Yen Chen, and cellist Edward Arron. Reviewers noted the high emotional intensity and rhythmic clarity of the ensemble, particularly highlighting the rich textures and brilliant handling of the piano part in the Franck quintet.