Violinist Tomas Cotik and pianist Tao Lin forged an especially strong bond on a number of earlier recordings of Schubert and Piazzolla, but this encompassing four-CD set of Mozart's Sonatas for Violin and Piano might be their most deeply connected collaboration to date. Internationally recognized as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator (currently Assistant Professor of Violin at Portland State University, Cotik has performed in orchestras such as the New World, Palm Beach, and Amarillo Symphonies, and was a member of the string quartets Amernet, Delray, and Harrington; however, his playing is perhaps most flatteringly presented in a duet context, his accompanist in this instance Lin playing a Steinway concert grand. The violinist's artistry is on display throughout, whether it be executing uptempo passages with seeming ease or voicing a tender melody with sensitivity and nuance...Cotik and Lin repeatedly show themselves to be simpatico partners, whether playing in unison or in glorious counterpoint; their voicing of Mozart's material in all its clarity, poise, and balance suggests both deep engagement and sincere affection for the composer, and their interplay registers as an extended dialogue between two equally dedicated interlocutors....Mozart's melodies sing rapturously in their hands, and suffice it to say, any listener in the market for a consistently satisfying account of these Mozart works could do a whole lot worse than choose this one. READ MORE