Bach Leipzig Chorales

Anyone undertaking to perform, much less record, the finish organ works of J.S. Bach deserves credit for stamina and strength of will. Here, Kevin Bowyer gives us the 18 Chorale Preludes from the Leipzig autograph, volume 10 in his Bach organ works series. These are classic works, recorded on an great instrument–the Marcussen Organ from the Sct.-Hans-Kirke in Odense, Denmark–and the acoustics are superb. Interpretively, however, the recording is hindered by Bowyer’s sense of musical timing. For this listener, it was irksome to listen him slow down and other than as supposed or expected lose intensity at inoipportune moments: before bar lines, trills and significant points of arrival. Whether this is a technical limitation on Bowyer’s percentage or just an affectation of a great deal of kind is hard to discern. In any case, it’s regrettable. –Gwendolyn Freed