During the early stages of composition Max Bruch wrote to his teacher, ‘I do not feel sure of my feet on this terrain. Do you think that it is very audacious to write a violin concerto?’ Audacious or otherwise, Bruch’s violin concerto has now become one of the most often recorded and performed, not to mention famous, in the repertoire. Although Bruch himself was not Jewish, the dedicatee and premiere violinist, Joseph Joachim, was, and to my ear the music reveals distinct Ashkenazi folk influences. As such, any soloist requires a certain chutzpah – a quality that virtuoso violinist Renaud Capuçon has in spades.

Alongside his brilliant interpretation of the Bruch, Capuçon delivers equally impressive performances of Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole and Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen. The latter is a particular triumph. Not only is he a nimble and energetic violinist, but his precision in the faster passages is astonishing. Capuçon reels the music off as though, rather than being fiendishly difficult, it’s a mere trifle. The Orchestre de Paris, under Paavo Järvi, deserves a special mention for its unified and assured – but never overpowering – sound. Be sure to make room in your CD collection for Capuçon’s fabulous recording of Bruch’s ‘audacious’ violin concerto.

Alexandra Mathew