Bell describes his approach to Bach as 'a melding of the old and the new'. The former is evidenced in his suave, silky tone and extrovert virtuosity, in his expressive liberties with tempo and in the full-bodied orchestral sound; but Bell also pays tribute to more recent trends inspired by period performance practice.

such is Bell's particular brand of ease with which he mixes traditional sensibility with the lighter articulations and gestures of recent tastes that one is instantly spellbound...Locating small shapes within a larger architecture is one of Bell's crowning virtues, alongside a depth of sound of almost Henryk Szeryng-like dimensions... the conception is original and exceptionally executed with searing and soaring artistic intent.

In both concertos, Bell's ornamental flourishes are a welcome surprise and both [concertos] offer enjoyable perspectives on these familiar staples…the blistering heat of the Chaconne is rather dimmed by Mendelssohn's polite backing-track [but] Schumann's accompaniment offers gentility to music which can and often does sound startlingly new…the Air from the D major Orchestral Suite is an attractive addition to the album, which in all offers 50 minutes of engagingly turned and finely polished Bach

The Gavotte makes a perfectly sweet, well-mannered miniature but the Chaconne, such a towering solo piece in itself, doesn’t gain a great deal from this treatment...There’s redemption, however, in crisp and exciting readings of the Violin Concertos Nos 1 and 2 (BWV 1041 and 1042), with Bell and the players in perfect accord.