Word: bwv
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...displays a predilection for big chords and thick, lush sonorities, and this love of sound for its own sake carried over into his interpretation of the Bach. Kirchner demanded a full-bodied sound from his small ensemble. Occasionally his insistence backfired, as in the final chorus of "ewiges Feuer" (BWV 34) where the sopranos had to force and went noticably sharp. Most of the choruses were full of dramatic dynamic contrasts, crescendi and decrescendi. And Kirchner had no qualms about taking expressive liberties with the tempo...
...conductor was as capable of holding his ensemble back as bringing them out. The tenor aria in "Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht" (BWV 105) contains many rapid sixteenth-note passages in the instrumental parts. Tenor Karl Dan Sorensen displayed a voice that was light, supple and unforced, but nonetheless somewhat diminutive--potentially something of a problem in Sanders Theatre. But Kirchner kept the instrumentalists down to a virtuosic pianissimo, and in spite of the busyness of the parts and his own brisk tempo, the aria was a model of balance and clarity...
...soloists were as gratifying as Sorensen. Regulars Marsha Vleck and Jane Struss gave creditable enough performances but had relatively little to do. Struss's solo work in "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit" (BWV 106) had an uneasy, unsettled quality, probably the result of a case of nerves. Bass Francis Hester revealed a rich and well-trained voice, but his murky German detracted from his performance...
More disappointing were the two guest soloists, perhaps because of the attention drawn to them by separate billing and fancier stage protocol. In BWV 105 soprano Carole Bogard began confidently but was evidently unsure of most of the aria beyond the opening phrases. As the movement progressed she became increasingly dependent on the score in her hand, and while her opening phrases had been nicely shaped the rest was little more than competent reading. Still, she obviously had a good ear, enviable accuracy of pitch and a fair amount of vocal agility. Alto Eunice Alberts sang with the inertia typical...
...make up for the slow tempos and truncated phrases of the other two cantatas, Collins startedWachet auf! (BWV 140) so fast that he almost left the orchestra behind. The opening chorus was a bit heavy, but it had an intensity that the earlier works lacked. Despite some rough spots, it was the most exciting chorus of the evening...