Just as the guitar is accustomed to finding itself “between worlds”, popping up in almost every imaginable genre of music, so too has the mandolin long held a place in the hearts of musicians from folk, popular and classical genres – for the latter, just think of Vivaldi and Beethoven’s wonderful works. But contemporary mandolinists like Chris Thile and present artist Avi Avital are taking things to a whole new level, performing Bach with a facility and sensitivity that would put many violinists to shame.

This time round, Israeli-born Avital tackles different folk traditions, albeit from a classical perspective – hence the recording’s title. And while much here will be familiar – Bartók’s Roumanian Folk Dances or Villa Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No 5 – there are also less well-known works such as Sulkhan Tsintsadze’s Miniatures On Georgian Folk Themes. But whether it’s Bloch, Monti, Dvorˇák, Falla or Piazzolla, the performances and arrangements here are so fresh and novel that everything sounds new.

Of course it helps that Avital is joined by a formidable line-up of soloists, including harpist Caitlin Finch, accordionist and fellow Bach exponent Richard Galliano and klezmer virtuoso clarinetist Giora Feidman. And that the different instrumental combinations – from mandolin and harp to mandolin and orchestra with, variously, winds, strings and plucked and percussion instruments – bring much colour and vibrancy to the mix.

But it’s the performances themselves that will win over even the staunchest purist, with Avital’s sheer brio (the Bartók and Tsintsadze), melodious cantabile (the Falla and the Villa-Lobos) and everything in between proving as utterly persuasive as his expressive meticulousness on his previous recording devoted to Bach. Add to that the considerable contributions of Galliano et al and you have a recording that, rather than falling between worlds, embraces all worlds.