I thank you, friend, for the valuable insights. It turns out that my particular setup called for some slight changes here and there.
I did test using the VSTdi setting (64 Soundfont) and that with MME did work well.

In the process I discovered that my Forte Ensemble installation was done with a setting of 48Khz and not the 44Khz that BIAB requires to sync, I believe. Changing this to relate to BIAB removed all the squeaks, stops, and general weirdness in my 2019 BIAB install.

I am so happy, and so are my 2 cats.