It was not until the violonist Bob van der Ent picked up his violin and played a few movements of solo Bach, one winter's evening at home, that the essence of the composer finally permeated his being. He felt an almost mystical unity with the music that he had never experienced before. Because there are already so many fabulous recordings of Bach, he asked himself "What can I still add to this?". What surprised him, however, was that the wide diversity of approach was actually a great source of inspiration to him rather than being in any way off-putting. Apparently, the possibilities of Bach's music are inexhaustible. This is what gave him the courage he needed to issue a new recording.
The narrative power of Bach's music means that it can sound like new in every era and in every performance. People's opinions of Bach are constantly changing and will continue to do so in the future. This recording of Bach is an interpretation of Bob van der Ent's vision of this music up until now, and he had striven for authenticity by remaining true to his personal vision, without making it a predominant feature.
For years now, Bob van der Ent had been playing a violin that is very dear to him; an instrument by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume from 1828. It is modelled after Stradivarius and its tonal design is typical of 18th century instruments, with a wide palette of colours. Using gut strings on this instrument, especially for Bach, adds a great deal of clarity to the sound, a richer range of overtones and a warmer sound that more closely approximates the human voice. Finally, a Baroque bow offers many more options for the expression Bob van der Ent is seeking. It's a bow that feels like a fine paintbrush, helping him to paint the music, as it were, in great detail. © Challenge Classics