The works of Swiss composer Frank Martin don't rely on dramatic flash; they tend to seductively beguile with their profoundly intelligent sensuality. While they may never be hits on a pops concert, they reward attentive listening with their deep feeling and insight, given voice in a distinctly personal and expressive language. Polyptyque, one of the composer's final works, a concerto for violin and two small string orchestras, is made up of six images from the life of Christ, from Palm Sunday to the Ascension.

This VIVALDI/CORELLI/BEYER collection groups interpretations by Amandine Beyer and the ensemble Gli Incogniti of major works by two Italian composers: Vivaldi and Corelli. Here again, Amandine Beyer demonstrates her exceptional talent as both a violinist and ‘bandleader’, giving these works, which illustrate the art of the concerto at the beginning of the 18thcentury, a certain Italian vocal quality in a particularly felicitous and invigorating interpretation.

The sonatas and partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001–1006) are a set of six works composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. They are sometimes referred to in English as the sonatas and partias for solo violin in accordance with Bach's headings in the autograph manuscript: "Partia" (plural "Partien") was commonly used in German-speaking regions during Bach's time, whereas the Italian "partita" was introduced to this set in the 1879 Bach Gesellschaft edition, having become standard by that time. The set consists of three sonatas da chiesa in four movements and three partitas (or partias) in dance-form movements.

Niccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His Caprice No. 24 in A minor, Op. 1, is among the best known of his compositions, and has served as an inspiration for many prominent composers.

Renowned, American born violinist & conductor, Yehudi Menuhin was a vegetarian and committed supporter of many social and environmental causes, with a great interest in Yoga and eastern religion. He was considered one of the greatest violinist of all time and this EMI recording of "Violin Voncertos by Vivaldi" is an excellent introduction to his work Performed by the Polish Chamber Orchestra.

Admirers of Sir Yehudi Menuhin will be pleased to have this compilation of his early stereo recordings of the major violin concertos. I have always enjoyed his version of the Bach Double Concerto with Christian Ferras; it rightly dominated the catalogue throughout the 1960s, and the spirited baroque vitality of the performance, plus a beautifully judged central Largo, give great satisfaction. Moreover, it demonstrates what a good sound balance Peter Andry and Neville Boyling could achieve in London's Kingsway Hall in 1959.

Pavel Šporcl's two most recent projects have manifested his remarkable stylistic flexibility. Vivaldi's Four Seasons and the crossover CD Gipsy Way with the Roma cimbalom band Romano Stilo earned the violin virtuoso richly deserved enthusiasticresponses on the part of critics and listeners alike. With this new CD, Šporcl returns to classical music. Well, sort of… When listening to Korngold's violin concerto it becomes obvious that the composer had devoted to film music over a long period, yet it may be the composition's directness and figurativeness that have made it so popular among the world's leading violinists. On the other hand, Richard Strauss's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op. 8, does not appear inconcert programmes and recordings so often.

Jean-Jacques Kantorow follows his critically acclaimed recording of music by Édouard Lalo with a second disc featuring two further works that were originally intended for Sarasate, the brief Fantaisie-ballet on themes from Lalo’s ballet Namouna, and the large-scale Concerto russe. The Concerto russe borrows themes from two wedding songs included by Rimsky-Korsakov in his collection 100 Russian Folk Songs.

The maximalist Franz Liszt and the almost minimalist Erik Satie might seem a preposterous album pairing, but violinist Andreas Seidel and pianist Steffen Schleiermacher – really, it is Schleiermacher whose project this seems to be, although he gets second billing – make a strong case for its relevance. The key is that it is the mysterious late works of Liszt that are featured. Between Liszt's works of the early 1880s and the famous Gymnopédies of Satie is a period of just seven or eight years, and, more importantly, a common spareness of melodic material and, in some cases, an interest in popular music.

The Klingler Quartet was regarded as the best string quartet of its times and as the rightful heir to the legendary Joachim Quartet. Karl Klingler, the musician who gave his name to the quartet, had studied with Brahms' friend Joseph Joachim and had joined his teacher's quartet as a young violist. MDG's sleuths have now found two remarkable historical documents in the archives of the Bavarian Radio that show us Klingler as a composer and as an interpreter: his Violin Concerto with Ulf Hoelscher and the Berlin Philharmonic under Volker Schmidt-Gertenbach and the Viola Sonata performed by the composer himself along with Michael Raucheisen at the piano.

From day one, it was normal practice for travelling virtuosos to perform fantasies on the famous operas of the nineteenth century. After Volker's successful release of Pablo de Sarasate's complete fantasies and paraphrases (MDG9031819) the highly sought-after Schwerin concertmaster once again broadens our horizons with his piano partner Ralph Zedler and presents virtuoso opera arrangements spanning 150 years: discoveries are guaranteed!

These concertos by Myslivecek and one by Reichardt are so lyrical and graceful that it leaves one thinking one has finally discovered some well that all the composers of the era dipped into. After listening to the CD umpteen times that opinion has not changed, only deepened. But it gives an insight yet again into the genius of Mozart. AS many have argued – and correctly – in fact the lyricism of Mozart's works is in some ways the less important virtue, as he had so many other ones, especially musically architectonic. Here with Myslivecek the lyricism is very ripe and never once cloying, and it is easily recognizable as an inspiration to other more crucial composers.

Isabelle Faust is one of the most impressive violinists of the generation that emerged in the 1990s. She is known for exceptional technique and strong interpretive instincts. She performs a wide-ranging repertoire, from J.S Bach all the way through to contemporary composers such as Ligeti, Lachenmann and Widmann. Ever keen to explore new musical horizons, Faust is equally at home as a chamber musician and as a soloist with major orchestras or period ensembles. Over the course of her career, she has regularly performed with world-renowned conductors including Claudio Abbado, Frans Brüggen, Mariss Jansons, Giovanni Antonini, Philippe Herreweghe, Daniel Harding and Bernard Haitink.