"Čičić’s command of period style is second to none, the tuning immaculate, the tone attractive but with a pleasingly ‘grainy’ aspect (he uses an Italian instrument dating from 1701). His mastery of the frequent double- and triple- and quadruple-stopped chords is formidable ... there’s no lack of excitement, either: the Presto Double of the B minor Corrente goes at a cracking pace, every note sparklingly articulated ... Echo effects are deployed without exaggeration, and the E major Partita has a wonderfully buoyant feel without ever feeling pushed ... these are accounts of the Partitas and Sonatas (sic!) that stand out In a crowded catalogue against starry competition. We’ll certainly be returning to them again and again"

"This is not just yet another recording of the Partitas; it is the recording ... What you are hearing is mastery on four strings created by Bach and executed to perfection with consummate playing from a player whose infectious, unassuming musicianship is laced with a finesse that makes each note communicate an ethereal and sensory presence ... There is a warmth to the playing that envelops the listener, creating an atmosphere where we are more than eavesdroppers on the performances; we are part of something special.

Čičić is a skilled interpreter and uses his baroque violin to great effect, especially contrasting the soundscape and paying attention to the technical demands and the details. The lines are perfected, and everything, from the double-stopped playing to the gut strings and range of colour, seeps out of the speakers. By the end, the imagery will have touched you ... Captivating and utter bliss"

"Bojan Čičić’s credentials are second to none ... His playing has all the brio required for Bach’s dance music, and that combined with marvellous articulation and a sensitivity to different key temperaments make his playing feel poised, elegant and true ... I enjoyed them greatly. I cannot imagine the Andante from the Sonata in A minor (CD 2.7) being presented more lovingly or the echo effects in the following Allegro being given a better light and shade. This is music-making to treasure"

EARLY MUSIC REVIEW
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"There is something both wonderful and scary about performing music for solo violin ... Now, the Croatian-born baroque violin specialist Bojan Čičić comes blazing in with Bach's magisterial sextet: three sonatas plus three partitas, magnificently played on an instrument almost 20 years older than the music itself ... Avoiding some violinists' febrile interpretations, Čičić likes to keep his dignity, though that doesn't stop his presto movements from being dizzying ... Every note is enhanced, moreover, by the friendly acoustic of Delphian's favourite Midlothian recording venue, Crichton Collegiate Church. I can't recall another recent recording where the lingering resonance of the music's final notes has been so magical. The end result is an album that splendidly showcases Bach's special pleasure: music that engages both heart and head, and leaves us humbled, disarmed, and uplifted"

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE WEEK

"Čičić invests each [Partita] with brio, dash and spirit. Double 11 from Partita No. 1 has sparkle, brilliance and precision, with crisp articulation. I don’t think I’ve heard it done better. The Sarabande from Partita No. 2 is ardent and yearning with an underlying melancholy. The Gavotte en Rondeau from No. 3 has a foot-tapping buoyancy and grace, dressed in some delightfully improvised ornamentation. The mighty Chaconne of Partita No. 2 is a monumental account, enhanced by Čičić’s superlative technique. There’s a perfect balance between the dramatic moments and those that are more reflective and intimate ... To sum up, I enjoyed this Bach cycle immensely. If any recording of these masterful works ticks all the right boxes for me it’s this one. Intimacy, warmth, flawless intonation, beauty of tone, expressivity and eloquent projection, all informed by impeccable musicianship, come together in these probing accounts. Čičić’s violin is a G. Tononi, Bologna 1701 with a rich bloom to the tone, and the glorious acoustic of Crichton Collegiate Church in Midlothian adds to the allure. Mahan Esfahani’s intelligent, scholarly liner notes provide all the context one could wish for. These are deeply committed performances, informed by consummate musicianship"

MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL - Reccommended
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"this album does feel particularly special ... Bach’s famous D minor partita opens with an unfussy, easy forwards flow and softly introvert feel, articulation notably detached and a clean, vibrato-less tone which later lends a wonderful crisp clarity to the bariolage passagework. Elsewhere, its ‘climaxes’ are beautifully understated. Dynamics don’t rise much beyond mezzo piano, which allows the notes and pure lyricism to do the talking. This all leads into the subtly wider, warmer legato beauty of the concluding phrase, its long final note coloured by some strikingly beautiful tremolo colour. It’s a story of intimacy, and an array of tone quality and articulation, exquisitely colouring a moment while simultaneously painting a larger dramatic arc. Take Sonata No 2’s Vivaldi-breathed Andante, radiating quietly worn profundity, its five-and-a-half minutes gliding forth from first note to last as a single musical rainbow – after which the ensuing Allegro brilliantly switches the dial with its pulse-quickening dynamic contrasts. Pause also to admire the subtly contrasting flavours of sweetness and radiance we’re treated to at the outer ends of Partita No 3’s Preludio, and the odyssey of expression betwixt them"