Mendelssohn Octet: James Ehnes, Itamar Zorman, Victor Fournelle-Blain, Denis Brott, Barbican Quartet

Ce concert est dédié à la mémoire de Boris Brott (1944-2022)
/ This concert is dedicated to the memory of Boris Brott (1944 - 2022)
Concert de clôture de la 27ᵉ édition du Festival Musique de Chambre de Montréal, enregistré le 19 juin 2022 à la Salle Bourgie MBAM, Montréal.
/ Closing concert of the 27th season of the Montreal Chamber Music Festival, recorded on June 19 2022 at the Salle Bourgie MBAM, Montreal.
Denis Brott, C.M. Réalisateur exécutif - Executive producer
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)
Octuor en mi bémol majeur, opus 20
Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20
James Ehnes, violon - violin
Itamar Zorman, violon - violin
Victor Fournelle-Blain, alto - viola
Denis Brott, violoncelle - cello
Barbican Quartet
Amaris Wierdsma, violon - violin
Kate Maloney, violon - violin
Cristoph Slenczka, alto- viola
Yoanna Prodanova, violoncelle - cello
Cette production a été rendue possible grâce au généreux soutien de...
/ This production was made possible thanks to the generous support of...
Fondation Azrieli / Azrieli Foundation
Consulat general d'Israel Montreal / Consulate General of Israel Montreal
web: www.festivalmontreal.org
instagram: @fmcmontreal
twitter: @fmcmontreal

[@youtubeaccount3384]

I've heard many performances of the Mendelssohn Octet and this ranks among the best for me. This ensemble keeps the intensity throughout the piece and the dynamic control adds a wonderful contrast. Bravo!

[@michelebismuth2639]

May the memory of your brother, Boris Brott, be a blessing to his family. Thanks for your tribute in his memory.

[@cellom.9227]

I'm so glad they didn't bash through this like so many others. James Ehnes, my goodness what a scherzo.

[@susank4878]

Though it was decades ago that I last saw Boris Brott, I still remember him with affection, with his never-ending energy and the constructive way he helped young musicians in particular. He offered a number of funny stories, and I remember one in particular. He had a recording session in Britain, and he worried about where he could park his Bentley. He saw a row of Bentleys parked near the front door of the building where the recording was taking place, and with some trepidation he left his at the end of the line-up. All through the session he worried about it, but when he got back to it, he found it had been washed and the gas tank filled up.

[@jeffwu78]

I am bowled over on how good of performance this is. The attention to detail to each note, the sound, wow!

[@charlesdimmick1971]

Spectacular playing all around. But especially James, what a sound! So elegant, so exciting, so committed. Never heard it better.

[@nickyork8901]

What a lovely performance, especially in the more intimate moments contrasting with a very extrovert , exciting and passionate overall approach. Up bow staccato by Mr Ehnes in the scherzo was a nice touch and an incredibly light and delicate end to the movement. For a different and even more wonderful take on this, try the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, the real pros at this type of music....with DOWN bow staccato in the scherzo...

[@galinakrivulin6767]

Great tribute to the legacy of the late founder of the Brott Music Festival, conductor, composer Boris Brott.
Thank you for upload.

[@jeffreykomar7769]

Beautiful music!

[@MarnixWillemSteffen]

so agressive playing

[@J3th973]

Gute Interpretation dieses technisch schwierigen (z.B. die Celli (das 1.) kommen gelegentlich an die Grenzen des spieltechnisch möglichen bzw. ihre eigenen) und musikalisch anspruchsvollen Werkes.
Woran es mir insgesamt etwas fehlt ist, daß die Geschlossenheit des Gesamtwerkes und die vollständige logische Verbundenheit aller Teile in der Interpretation nur unvollkommen dargestellt werden. Augenfällige Beispiele sind die z.T. zu langen Pausen zwischen den Sätzen, die dann als etwas "ganz anderes" begonnen werden. Richtig wäre es, den Kontrast zwischen den Sätzen trotzdem mehr als Zusammenhang darzustellen und spüren zu lassen.
Häufige rhytmisch - metrische Unschärfen bzw. fehlende Durchhörbarkeit / Betonung wichtiger Motive / Phrasen.
Trotz aller - nicht vollständig vermeidbarer - Schwächen (vor allem das stark umgsetzte Presto versöhnt mit ihnen) eine sehr respektable und hörenswerte Performance!