I've heard Mullova's earlier attemps at Bach so I had very low expectations going into this recording. What turn of events! This has to be the best Bach recording I've heard in a while. Mullova adopts a semi-baroque semi-modern style as made famous by Janine Janson's wonderful recordings. Mullova's choice of using a baroque bow (I'm guessing based on the cover) alows her more freedom of phrasing and speed. She takes these works a fairly fast pace but does not rush through them. There some odd turns of phrases which makes me scratch my head but her technique is such that you soon forget about them. She takes the chaccone at a more stately approach which takes some time getting used to but it works. The rest of the sonatas and partitas are fine, getting to the heart of both the sacred and profane in the dance movements. If anything she deserves accolades for taking a new look on things and I wouldn't be surprised to find this on the want list for the Bach afficianado. Top marks!

These Bach sonatas and partidas are baroque masterpieces which Mullova plays in a marvelous virtuosic manner. What Ms Mullova has achieved here is brilliant, always impressive, sometimes stunning and in other cases breathtaking. She uses her 1750 Guadagnini violin with gut strings tuned to A415 Hz and a Barbiero contemporary baroque bow. SPELLBINDING!!