The first in a cycle of pieces on characters from the Old Testament, ''Und Salomo sprach'' (And Solomon said), composed in the 80s, has long since become an essential part of the solo cello repertoire. Now the composer has added two more pieces: ''... als sich König Sauls Gesicht verdunkelte'' (... when King Saul's face darkened) and ''... da tanzte David vor der Bundeslade''(... then David danced before the Ark of the Covenant). Kirchner being an expert in the exploration of the technical and sonic capabilities of stringed instruments, one can confidently expect ''From the Book of Kings'' to be full of fascinating, impressive, and intricate music.