The Holy Grail of the Violin Repertoire – Renaud Capuçon Presents Bach’s Sonatas & Partitas
The world-renowned violinist marks his 50th birthday
with his first recording of this cornerstone of the solo repertoire
The album comes out on 23 January 2026
Listen to the Presto from Sonata No. 1 in G minor here
“Bach’s music has always calmed and comforted me,
while at the same time filling me with feelings of energy and joy”
Renaud Capuçon
Renaud Capuçon first became aware of J.S. Bach’s timeless Sonatas and Partitas via an LP owned by his parents. The soloist was Yehudi Menuhin, and the impact on the young violinist was instantaneous, sparking a lifelong devotion to Bach and his music. Now Capuçon has chosen to celebrate the personal milestone of turning fifty by making his first recording of the six exceptional works often known as the “Bible” or “Holy Grail” of the solo violin repertoire.
The Deutsche Grammophon album will be released digitally and as a 2CD set on 23 January 2026, to coincide with Capuçon’s birthday four days later. A limited-edition CD version includes a signed art card featuring the cover portrait of the violinist which, like all the pictures in the booklet, was taken by his son, Eliott Capuçon. The Presto finale of Sonata No. 1 in G minor is released on 12 December as a digital single, with the Preludio of Partita No. 3 in E major following on 9 January.
Inspired by Menuhin, Capuçon began studying the Sonatas and Partitas – starting with the Third Partita – as soon as he was old enough. He has considered recording the works several times in his career, but earlier this year was finally persuaded by his wife, Laurence Ferrari, to head into the studio. “Until then, I kept thinking I should wait a little longer,” he explains. “I wanted to be a better human, a better violinist… The fact that I’m doing it for my 50th birthday has a nice symbolism, but it doesn’t mean this is a definitive interpretation. It’s a snapshot of today – Renaud Capuçon playing Bach at 50!”
That “snapshot” is informed by decades of study and performances of Bach’s music generally and of the Solo Violin Sonatas (each cast in four movements) and Partitas (suites of dances) in particular. Capuçon performs the works on a Baroque instrument, the Guarneri del Gesù “Vicomte de Panette” of 1737, switching between two bows, one made by the legendary François Xavier Tourte (1748 – 1835), the other a Baroque bow by one of today’s finest makers, Walter Barbiero.
Capuçon conquers every technical and expressive challenge posed by works known for their kaleidoscopic musical variety and unprecedented melodic, harmonic and rhythmical inventiveness. He brings impeccable precision and seemingly infinite interpretative insight to each of the six in turn, capturing everything from the energy and exuberance of movements such as the Preludio of Partita No.3 and Presto of Sonata No. 1 to the heartfelt yearning of the Chaconne of Partita No. 2, which Menuhin called “the greatest structure for solo violin that exists”, and which is believed to have been written by Bach in tribute to his late wife, Maria Barbara.
Asked about some of the less well-known movements, Capuçon singles out the Adagio of Sonata No. 3, notable for the tranquil beauty of its chordal writing. He is quick to observe, however, that any one of these works would be a good place to start for those unfamiliar with the set. “There’s not one note which does not come from the heart,” he says. “It feels like a flow of natural love, like a river flowing down through the mountains – it’s simple, beautiful, pure. And part of the reason I waited so long to record this music is because I wanted to serve the music as naturally and with as much simplicity as possible.”
“It was with a mixture of serenity and humility that I approached the recording sessions,” he adds. “This was a moment of introspection for me, a moment of listening to a voice within myself and of searching for the absolute.”
