Bell gives these works a fresh beautiful approach and clearly loves this music deeply. If you want a “traditional” (whatever that means) or period instrument experience, this may not be for you. This isn’t the only version I’d want to listen to, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a beautiful joyful gift to hear. And it’s Bach, it can survive almost anything. As a professional violin soloist told me last week about Bach: it’s power to touch people is that, at it’s core, Bach’s music is truth.

So inventive and interesting! I really enjoy his interpretation.

First off I concur with the review written by Boolez, so I don't need to repeat any of that. There are plenty of better more accurate players out there with PERIOD ensembles, and those are the ones worth hearing, not this overly romanticized menagerie.

Bell gives us an over-indulgent ego trip. His Bach is sloppy and random. St. Marin was a fine orchetra, but I have douts of their future in Bell's hands. I've heard better violinests's play these pieces in the nation's subways..... -Bz