Gardiner is taking it on the chin lately:

David Stewart wrote:

>I have his Christmas Oratorio and found it really clinical and dry
>sounding.  There was no warmth at all.

Patrik Enander wrote of Gardiner's Bach Mass:

>Two nights ago I listened to Gardiner's version for the first time.
>After awhile I all of a sudden asked myself: .... But isn't this rather
>shallow?

What was your answer? (just being a wiseguy).

Clinical, dry, no warmth, and shallow; traits that I don't find in
Gardiner's Bach Mass or Christmas Oratorio.  The traits that do currently
stick out in my mind are: theatrical, exciting, propulsive, and incisive.

I do have a question for Patrik and David.  Do you find Gardiner's
performances of the Bach cantatas an improvement over the Mass and
Christmas Oratorio.

Don Satz
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