Violinist
Renaud Capucon
has recorded some of
Mozart
's violin concertos in the past, but this
2023 complete set
, on which he leads the
Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
as well as playing the solo violin parts, is different in flavor, with a precise yet easy sense of collaboration between violin and orchestra. At times, as in the slow movement of the
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, Op. 219
, he gets the alchemy that makes these rather frothy works by the young
come alive with irresistible lyricism. In general, he takes some inspiration from the historical performance movement, cultivating a clean sound in the orchestra and somewhat minimizing the vibrato. The orchestra is thus nicely set off from
Capucon
's breezy, just slightly sentimental style.
Deutsche Grammophon
contributes idiomatic sound from the Theatre de Beaulieu in Lausanne. At first, this set may seem to break little new ground, but that is not what it is about. Repeated hearings will reveal a good deal of quiet elegance. ~ James Manheim