Solo Violin...suggestions.

Try Julia Fischer - J.S. Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin; and here's a cello suggestion - Janos Starker, Bach: Suites for Solo Cello; Sonatas in G&D Major (be sure to get the Mercury Living Presence version). Good luck and happy listening.

Try Hilary Hahn's Bach partitas and sonatas for violin. I really love her Bach.
You might also try some of Truls Mork's solo cello on Virgin classics. Some of these are pretty cheap and he is very good.

I am not a fan of Joshua Bell but I do like Anne Sophie Mutter and yes the Pablo Sarasate arrangements are pretty exciting if you want a demo of violin. However, IMHO, violin is better as playing its part in an orchestra rather than profilled too prominently. Russian composers seems to have employed strings to great effect (think Prokofiev Romeo & Julliet). Brandburg Concertos are a must for someone getting into classical. Oh and don't forget BOND's version of "Winter" or better known as Quattro Staggioni by Vivaldi - BOND are best selling string quartet of all time - you'll never guess why unless you've seen a photo.

This is one of those dejavu threads, so you may get more recommendations as well as repeats of the excellent recommendations above. I'll add my own, neither of which have been mentioned yet, but I'm sure I've echoed on other threads:

Bach Works for Violin Solo, Lara St. John
Vengerov Plays Bach, Shchedrin, Ysaye, Maxim Vengerov

Thanks. I'll look into the suggestions. As you put it Rushton, "emotion" and "passion"..., is what I"m looking for I guess, with the solo strings.