Reviews

The Glory of Bach

      Outside it was a cool, rainy night but the warmth inside this Tudor style sanctuary with exposed wooden ceiling beams with the quiet energy of an expectant audience was relaxing. The Seventh Annual Bach Festival at Trinity Lutheran Church, Norfolk, was about to showcase some of Tidewater's finest performers on October 27, 2006 in a program organized by Kai Lin, Director of Music at Trinity. He told the audience "Bach is my favorite composer ... I am in awe of his beautiful writing, especially the fugues."

      The program opened with Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV 533 (written before 1708) with visiting organist Michael Regan spinning out the polyphonic voices of Bach's harmonic inventions. Then followed Walter Swan's ardent performance of "Quia fecit mihi magna qui patens est" (For He that is mighty hath done to me great things) from Magnificat with Mr. Lin at the piano.

      Moving in a relaxed way, soprano Agnes Fuller Wynne walked out, stood grounded and sang ich folge dir gleichfalls (I will follow you with eager steps). The dramatic and emotional force of these songs won my heart though at first the somewhat dry acoustic of the space put me off. By the duet Den Tod, niemand zwinger kunnt (Nobody could overcome Death) from Cantata 4: Christ lag in Todesbanden I was totally engaged by the relaxed pacing and beautiful sound as the soprano joined by mezzo-soprano Lisa Relaford Coston sang.

      Bubbly undertones echoed as Mr. Regan played Wachet auf BWV 645 (Sleepers awake) with a bass line that adds richness to the tune. Later he played Concerto in A minor, BWV 593 with its lively first, introspective second and dancing third movement with a fleet and deft touch.

      Unusual for Bach, he set the entire Cantata 84 for soprano. Ich bin vergnügt (I am content) as well as ich habe genug come from the year 1731, when the Bach household band and singers were in the prime of their power. Bach's wife Anna Magdalena had been a court singer at Cöthen before they were married. Afterward she sang only at home and church. From Cantata 84 Ms. Wynne sang Ich esse mit Freuden with her voice surrounded in glorious instrumental sound. In Bach's day his children would have played the oboe, violin and continuo. Our performers were Carol Zeisler on oboe, Lucy Manning on violin and Mr. Lin on piano continuo.

      There was excitement in the opening line of Ich habe genug (Lord I have enough) from Cantata 82 followed by the richer low notes in Dr. Swan's voice as the song unfolded. To my ear this was the most successful of his selections. Here and in Mache dich, mein Herze, rein (Make thee clean, my heart from sin) from St. Matthew Passion, Kai Lin accompanied with joyful expressive playing.

      The program concluded with a duet from Cantata 78: Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten (We hasten with eager yet faltering footsteps). Ms. Wynne's ethereal soprano contrasted with Ms. Coston's rich mezzo and with the addition of a fleet piano my feet just wouldn't be still. We look forward to next year's Bach festival.

Ninth Annual Bach Festival at Trinity Lutheran

Kai Lin, music director and organist at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Norfolk, Virginia, on October 24, 2008, brought together several accomplished musicians to play music of J.S. Bach (1685-1750).

Soprano Agnes Mobley-Wynne with Mr. Lin at the piano sang in English translation Sighing, Weeping, Sorrow, Need from Cantata BWV 21, My Spirit was in Heaviness and later Heute nook?, liber Vater, from Coffee Cantata BWV 211, in which the daughter agrees to give up coffee if her father can find her a husband this very day. Spirited accompaniment and fine singing made for good listening.

The best surprise of the evening was Trio Sonata BWV 525 with Anibal Acosta - guitar, Anastasia Migliozzi - viola and Stephen Walsh - recorder. The tempos danced along nicely in the three movements played with a fine sense of ensemble. Dr. Acosta has his doctorate from Manhattan School of Music and teaches at ODU and Tallwood High School. Ms. Migliozzi's undergraduate degree is from Juilliard and her masters is from Rice University and she plays with Virginia Opera Orchestra and Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Walsh is a self-taught recorder player but has studied piano with June Trayhorn of Eastman School of Music. His undergraduate degree is from West Virginia University and he has a varied career both teaching and performing and as a U.S. Navy officer.

The Bach Sonata BWV 1034 for Flute and Piano featured Andra Hawks on flute and Mr. Lin on piano. The audience was impressive - they clapped only at the end of the five-movement piece. Mrs. Hawks, who bills herself as a proud Navy wife, is currently finishing her doctorate at the University of Memphis. Her playing was stylish but our enjoyment was marred by the sound of her catching her breath before each phrase.

Mr. Lin's Organ Improvisation: The Spirit of J.S. Bach that opened the program was made-up of themes of Bach's best known pieces. Without Bach's strong structure the piece seemed rambling and overly long though well played.