'The most dangerous arrogance is thinking you know better than the composer,' says violinist James Ehnes

Ehnes performs at Bucheon Arts Center on June 16 with the Dresden Philharmonic under Sir Donald Runnicles

Violinist James Ehnes [Inarts Production]

"Perfection, flawlessness — these things don't really mean much to me."

Canadian master violinist James Ehnes is widely regarded as one of the most technically perfect players alive. Britain's Daily Telegraph has praised his playing as possessing "a musicality beyond which it is impossible to progress."

In a written interview, Ehnes brushed off such assessments as "far too generous." "If you genuinely believe you've played something perfectly," he said, "that may simply mean your standards weren't high enough to begin with."

Ehnes brings his artistry to Korea on June 16, performing at Bucheon Arts Center alongside Sir Donald Runnicles — the new chief conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic — in Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, a work considered the essence of Romantic-era violin writing. It will be the first time Ehnes and the Dresden Philharmonic have performed together in Korea.

The reputation for flawlessness that has followed Ehnes throughout his career stems from his precise, restrained musical style. His playing is celebrated not merely for technical accuracy but for what critics call an "orthodox virtuosity" free of arbitrary exaggeration — among musicians, he is considered a textbook standard. Yet for Ehnes, technique is only a means to an end: the music itself.

"Perfection divorced from musical expression is meaningless, and so is technical accuracy that exists apart from it. Technical mistakes are certainly obstacles — they prevent you from conveying what you intend. But playing with technical precision while saying nothing musical is not good music either. In some ways, technical perfection without musicality may actually be worse from an artistic standpoint."

What matters most to Ehnes in this process is conveying the music left behind by great composers without distortion. His guiding philosophy is that a performer is "an interpreter, not a creator." "Composers have left everything they wanted to say inside the score," he said. "The most important thing for a performer is to breathe life into that music."

That conviction drives Ehnes to study scores with painstaking care and follow the composer's intentions closely in his interpretations. "You have to first understand precisely what the composer is telling you through the notation," he said, "because every composer uses notation in their own distinctive way."

Performing music he does not yet fully understand is, to Ehnes, an act of irresponsibility — even negligence. It is also a matter of strict professional ethics he holds as an artist.

"If I feel I don't sufficiently understand a work, I will simply never perform it in public. To put it on stage without that understanding is irresponsible to both the audience and the composer."

Classical music has long debated how faithfully performers should adhere to the score. Ehnes firmly believes the composer's intentions deserve maximum respect. "I would never underestimate the importance of the performer's role in bringing music to life," he said, "but if you deliberately ignore what is written in the score, you either haven't truly understood what the composer was trying to say — or you are arrogant enough to believe your interpretation is superior."

He went on to say that "adopting such a bold and arrogant attitude when interpreting the music of great composers is a deeply dangerous approach — one I generally try to avoid entirely."

As an "interpreter," Ehnes has also worked to bring historical music closer to contemporary audiences, widening his public reach. During the pandemic, he launched an online recital series from his living room, proposing a new format for classical performance in the streaming era — a striking departure for a figure known for his conservative, traditionalist approach.

"I genuinely love connecting with people, and I draw the most energy from engaging with those who love music purely and sincerely," he said. "I find it deeply meaningful that digital media has given us the opportunity to break down the barriers that once stood between performers and audiences."

He added that he "genuinely loves the music itself, and equally loves the role of interpreter — breathing life into that music. If a digital platform can help me share that pure love of art with a wider audience, that alone is something deeply rewarding."

His musical partners are two legendary instruments: the 1715 "Marsick," crafted during Antonio Stradivari's golden period, and a fine 1740 Guarneri del Gesù. "Any instrument requires an absolute investment of time before you truly understand how it responds and works," Ehnes said. "The greater the instrument, the more you keep discovering new dimensions in it as the years pass — that depth is part of its profound appeal." The Marsick came to him like a first love. "I fell deeply in love with it from the very first moment I played it," he said. "With each passing year, I feel the range of what I can express through this instrument continues to grow."

Today, Ehnes does not confine himself to a single instrument but pursues ongoing sonic exploration. "Whenever I have the opportunity to play a fine violin, I still actively seek it out," he said. That is why he has been playing his 1740 Guarneri del Gesù extensively of late. "This instrument is showing me new possibilities in terms of tone color and the way sound carries deep into the hall," he said. "I may use the Guarneri rather than the Marsick for the Korea performance, but I haven't made a final decision yet on which partner I'll bring to the stage."

The Dresden Philharmonic [Inarts Production]

The Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 that Ehnes will perform with the Dresden Philharmonic is one of the most enduring works in any violinist's repertoire — a piece played countless times over a lifetime. "It is a truly great and beautiful work," Ehnes said. "No matter how often I play it, I never tire of it." What draws him to the concerto is its compelling narrative arc and the way its large-scale flow and intricate structure interlock seamlessly. He also sees a natural affinity between the Bruch and the particular sound world of the Dresden Philharmonic.

"The Dresden Philharmonic has a string sound that is uniquely rich and beautiful even among European orchestras. That distinctive, weighty sonority suits the emotional world of the Bruch concerto very well. Sir Donald Runnicles is also a close friend and one of the collaborators I have worked with most frequently throughout my career. Making music with him on stage is always a source of great joy and inspiration."

Turning 50 this year, Ehnes stands at a significant crossroads in both his life and career. He began playing the violin at five and made his debut at thirteen performing with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Over the decades, much has changed in his music — yet his aim remains the same: to convey, as fully as possible, the world of the composer and the music he believes in.

"I've changed a great deal personally over the years, and I've matured. But I don't think my musical priorities have fundamentally shifted. A successful performance has always meant one in which I conveyed what I wanted to express — the musical story I wanted to tell — as consistently as possible. Ultimately, what matters is creating the moment on stage where the music comes alive most naturally and truthfully."

shee@heraldcorp.com