Bach's works for unaccompanied violin didn't come completely out of nowhere. A likely influence is the composer and leading German violinist, Johann Georg Pisendel (1687-1755). He met and impressed Bach at Weimar in 1709, and later became a friend of Vivaldi. His Sonata for solo violin in A minor is fantastical in wild, sometimes almost eccentric, ways. Don't expect Bach's contrapuntal genius, just enjoy the unexpected turns and rangy gait of his melodic style, and the chutzpah of his technical demands. His C minor Sonata for violin and continuo is also interestingly individual. Two sonatas expressly written for Pisendel by Vivaldi, and one each by Montanari (with whom he studied) and Albinoni make up this vividly-performed collection. url.ie/e8oo