Arthur Grumiaux recorded his Philips traversal of the Bach solo Partitas and Sonatas in 1960-61. In many ways his readings never have been surpassed, although next to Grumiaux you'd rightly have to consider Nathan Milstein (DG and EMI), Oscar Shumsky (ASV), and of course Heifetz. Grumiaux brings the utmost refinement and purity of line to every bar. You can take the colossal technical skill required in brilliant sections of the E major Partita (did anyone ever play the opening Preludio with more fastidious control over dynamics and shaping within phrases?) or the labyrinthine Chaconne from the D minor work completely for granted. Grumiaux also achieves exceptional clarity of articulation in such movements as the fugue from the G minor work, and is both warmly spontaneous and natural in the slow movements (there's none of Menuhin's over-worked ornamentations, just enough to grace Bach's lines tastefully and elegantly). It's a masterful traversal of Bach's "Bible" for the violin, and these discs also make room for two violin and keyboard sonatas (BWV 1016 and 1017), in which Grumiaux is joined by harpsichordist Egida Giordani Sartori. The sound is detailed, vibrant, and fully complementary to the multifarious shadings and colors of violin and harpsichord.

--Michael Jameson