Renaud Capuçon, Bach, and Mozart

Hear violinist Renaud Capuçon make his OSL debut as both soloist and conductor in a program of vibrant and expressive works by Bach and Mozart.

Capuçon brings his artistry to two pieces Mozart composed for Salzburg court violinist Antonio Brunetti—the Adagio, K. 261, and the Rondo, K. 373. Although he was the Archbishop’s preferred violinist, Mozart was not fond of Brunetti, finding him crude and unrefined. When Brunetti complained that one of Mozart’s concerto movements was too serious, Mozart begrudgingly wrote the Adagio as a substitute. A few years later, the effortlessly charming Rondo was composed for a court soirée in Vienna. The program also features Mozart’s Symphony No. 29, a work of youthful brilliance. Composed when he was just 18, it marks a turning point in Mozart’s symphonic writing, moving beyond the polish of his earlier works toward greater expressive depth.

Bach’s Violin Concerto in A Minor is one of his most enduring works, admired since the 18th century. The orchestra’s assertive opening theme never appears in the soloist’s episodes, making the violin’s entrance feel all the more striking. The middle Andante is intimate and tender, while the finale thrillingly fuses gigue rhythms with fugal interplay. The evening also includes the opening of Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2, written in the stately style of the French overture.