Like a breath of fresh air, Tomás Cotik’s new album of Bach’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin has an invigorating quality that will appeal to first-time listeners as well as those who are familiar with each piece. By using a Baroque bow on a modern violin, Cotik has found a new twist in the performance of these pieces, but that is not all. His amazing technical skill and artistic know-how, as shown in this 2-CD package on the Centaur label, create an indelible interpretation of Bach’s music that leaves us with a smile between the ears. Cotik’s combines impeccable technique and an intuitive artistry to fashion a mesmerizing interpretation of these pieces. The slower movements have a thoughtful, meditative quality that can draw listeners inward. The faster movements leap about with quicksilver turns that is downright cheerful. Cotik’s execution of double-stops, triple-stops, and quadruple stops tickles the ears, and throughout he has a nuanced approach to dynamics that keeps every phrase fascinating...In Cotik's hands they sound a fresh as a morning breeze and can put a smile on the face of even the most recalcitrant curmudgeon. But these are just a few of the many wonders that you will enjoy in Cotik’s playing, which brilliantly convey the elegant and refined but not fussy music that Bach wrote. James Bash READ MORE