Orpheus for All: James Ehnes and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

When a world-class violinist and a world-class orchestra join together, world-class music is made. On October 25, 2025, violinist James Ehnes and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra gave a free concert at Carnegie Hall titled “Orpheus for All.” With every ticket free of charge, the concert was meant to give everyone the opportunity to experience high-level classical music, regardless of their ability to pay. All attendees received the same general-admission tickets, and people could sit anywhere they liked. The program featured a world premiere by Jessica Meyer titled Cartes Postales and four French works: Claude Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Ernest Chausson’s Poème, Camille Saint-Saëns’s Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and Maurice Ravel’s Chamber Symphony after the Piano Trio in A Minor.

Ehnes is a world-renowned violinist who is widely considered one of the greatest of his time. A faculty member of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Ehnes has a busy performance schedule, frequently soloing with orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmonic. He is praised for his duality, gifted with both brilliant technique and innate musicality.

The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is a unique ensemble. It has no conductor, is about half the size of a regular symphony orchestra, and has distinctive customs. The orchestra stands out for a dress code that is less strict than simple concert black, often featuring metallic fabrics and sequins. The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra also has no set seating, with its members rotating around their section, allowing all of its members to have the chance to be principal. Without a conductor, there is no one single person to dictate musical choices, and during rehearsals, the Grammy Award-winning orchestra’s members take turns listening and offering suggestions.

Poème

Ehnes’s first selection, Ernest Chausson’s Poème, was a beautiful, slow, single-movement piece. One of just 39 of Chausson’s works, it is the composer’s most famous piece and is a staple of violin repertoire. Ehnes did a wonderful job showcasing the lush and emotional nature of Poème. The opening note of the solo violin, following a long orchestral introduction, would have been nerve-wracking even for a world-class violinist like Ehnes. Slow, quiet, and controlled, any imperfection in sound quality would have been magnified tenfold. Every slight shake of the bow or minute out-of-tune note would be instantly perceptible to the audience. However, Ehnes maintained his composure well, performing an opening that was as haunting as it was sentimental and sweet. The next 15 minutes of music were full of life. Indeed, the entire piece felt like the act of breathing, swelling up and down as if imitating respiration. Ehnes projected well through the huge Stern Auditorium, with his sound reaching the back of the hall with clarity. Ehnes’s approach and musicality gave Poème a cohesive and natural feel, drawing the audience in, capturing their attention, and not letting it go.

If there had to be a critique for the piece, it would be Ehnes’s vibrato. Though vibrato is uniquely individual—no two violinists have exactly the same vibrato—great musicians need to be able to adapt their vibrato to suit the quality of their piece. Poème, for instance, is slow and sorrowful, the type of music that a wider, slower vibrato naturally suits. Though Ehnes’s performance was undoubtedly superb, a slower and spastic vibrato would have brought even more warmth and depth into his rendition.

Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso 

The “main course” of the concert, Camille Saint-Saëns’s Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, offers a multitude of challenges to its performer. Besides the fact that it is technically demanding—with fast arpeggios and passages—its popularity makes it hard for the soloist to stand out as original and unique. 

Ehnes’s take on the iconic opening was quite traditional, not playing with the phrasing as much as other soloists typically do. What was unique was the forward energy he brought to a passage where others typically stay on the back end of the beat. Instead of taking the usual relaxed “push and pull” approach, Ehnes built momentum, driving the music forward instead of lingering on the notes.

The piece suddenly turns fast and virtuosic, with Ehnes taking full advantage to show off his impeccable, precise upbow staccato, well-practiced arpeggios, and ricochet, complete with near-perfect intonation. Despite the technical challenge of the passages, the notes were clean and projected well. Instead of choosing a safer, still-impressive tempo for the coda, Ehnes stunned the crowd with a brilliant and fast finish that brought them to their feet. The flashy performance was immensely well-received.

Violin Sonata No. 3, Allegro Assai

Ehnes’s choice of an encore was classic and understated, yet extremely well-done. The fourth movement of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 3, the performance Allegro Assai, was everything that a Bach performance should be. Like the Poème, it was continuous and cohesive, though in a slightly different way. Ehnes’s interpretation of the Allegro Assai was water flowing through streams, waterfalls, and rivers, cascading through space with neither a start nor an end to its motion. The piece is not rhythmically complex. In fact, it is almost completely composed of slurred 16th notes. Ehnes skillfully brought out all the subtle nuances within its phrases, bringing out its interesting harmonies, accentuating certain notes, and emphasizing contrasting musical lines. All in all, it was cohesive, well-executed, and a charming encore to his performance.

Ehnes and the Orpheus Chamber put on a stunning performance, just as one would expect from such talented musicians. The show provided a superlative opportunity for viewers of all backgrounds to immerse themselves in breathtaking, world-class music.