The benchmark against which other Baroque lute recordings are measured, this Nigel North's Bach series remains popular. North applies his encyclopaedic knowledge and instinctive flair for the lute, to the transcriptions and arrangements of works for violin and cello by J.S. Bach, a practice started by the composer himself who frequently re-scored existing pieces if a work for lute was required. The Violin Sonatas and Partitas, renowned for their technical difficulties and requirement for depth of musical expression, are beautifully rediscovered. North sensitively presents a distinctive orchestration of these pieces which intriguingly emphasizes the subtle Italian influence of these works.