JSBChorales.net: H.I.F. von Biber

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

It sometimes seems that the Sonatas and Partitas for violin by J.S. Bach were born out of his head full grown, like Athena from the head of Zeus. I know little about what violin compositions might have been available to him for study.

Bach's father, Johann Ambrosius Bach lived from 1645 until 1695. Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, a contemporary of J.S. Bach's father, was born in 1644 in Bohemia. Among his many works were two sets of violin sonatas, the more well known of which is the set of 15 sonatas for violin with continuo and one passacaglia for solo violin, known as the Rosary Sonatas or the Mystery Sonatas.

Arcangelo Corelli (1653 - 1713), another near contemporary of Bach's father, wrote many violin sonatas, all with continuo, which have been considered a major part of the baroque violin literature. And perhaps there were many more composers whose work was available to Johann Sebastian for study. How plausible is it that he may have been familiar with Biber's work?

Biber's music was a new discovery for me, and learning about it has opened doors to many facets of baroque music of which I knew nothing. Here are some descriptions of the instruments used, the practice of scordatura and a comparison of four performances of the Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas.

Works of H.I.F. Biber

8 violin sonatas with continuo
2 Operas
Cantatas
Requiem
Missa Salisburgensis (attrib; for 53 independent voices)
Missa Sancti Henrici
Missa Bruxellensis
Missa Scala Aretina
Missa Christi resurgentis
Sonata "La battalia"
Mensa sonora (Sonatas for 2 Viol.,Viola und Baß)
Die "Sonatae Tam Aris Quam Aulis servientes" for 6-8 Instruments
12 Sonatas "Fidicinium sacroprofanum"
7 Trio Sonatas "Harmonia artificioso-ariosa: diversi mode accordata"
"Die liederliche Gesellschaft von allerley Humor"
"Sonata representativa avium"
16 "The Rosary Sonatas" in scordatura (a.k.a. "The Mystery Sonatas")

The Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas

Die Fünf Freudenhaften Mysterien (The Five Joyous Mysteries)
- Sonata I: Die Verkündigung (The Annunciation)
- Sonata II: Mariä Besuch bei Elisabeth (The Visitation)
- Sonata III: Christi Geburt (The Nativity)
- Sonata IV: Christi Darstellung im Tempel (The Presentation)
- Sonata V: Der zwölfjährige Jesus im Tempel (The Finding in the Temple)
Die Fünf Schmerzhaften Mysterien (The Five Sorrowful Mysteries)
- Sonata VI: Christi Leiden am Ölberg (The Agony in the Garden)
- Sonata VII: Die Geibelung (The Scourging of Jesus)
- Sonata VIII: Die Dornenkrönung (The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns)
- Sonata IX: Die Kreuztragung (Jesus carries His Cross)
- Sonata X: Die Kreuzigung (The Crucifixion)
Die Fünf Glorreichen Mysterien (The Five Glorious Mysteries)
- Sonata XI: Die Auferstehung (The Ressurection)
- Sonata XII: Christi Himmelfahrt (The Ascension)
- Sonata XIII: Ausgiebung des Heiligen Geistes (Descent of the Holy Gost)
- Sonata XIV: Mariä Himellfahrt (Assumption of our Lady)
- Sonata XV: Die Krönung der Jungfrau Maria (Crowning of the Virgin Mary)
Passacaglia in G minor (solo violin)

Links: von Biber

Wikipedia Biography of Biber

Answers.com Biography of Biber

A Biber Website

The Mystery Sonatas, a discussion

A Heinrich Biber Discography

Baroque instruments used in the Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas

Lirone

Links: The keyboard and Lira da Gamba
Links to many early stringed instruments.
Links to many early keyboard instruments.
Wikipedia definition of the Regal, a portable organ.
Images of the Lirone (Lira da Gamba).

The theorbo is a bass lute, which has a neck that extends outward approximately four feet to accommodate the long, deep bass strings. The purpose of the theorbo is to reinforce the bass, whereas the function of the lirone is to enrich the harmonies. The composer Giulio Caccini said that the theorbo was the perfect instrument to accompany the voice.

Links: the Theorbo
A definition of the theorbo
Another definition of the theorbo
Discussion of the theorbo
More discussion of the theorbo
Illustrations of the theorbo
Idea of the size

Scordatura, alternate tunings of stringed instruments

The standard (or Italian) tunings of the violin strings are G D A E. Other tunings are common in folk music and have a long history. Their use in "classical" music has been limited, however. Bach did employ an alternate tuning for the Fifth Cello Suite, changing the highest string from A to G. Standard pitches of the cello are C G D A; the altered tuning gives C G D G.

Altering the pitches of the strings makes it possible to play chords that would be difficult or impossible with the standard tuning, and chords were written into more string music in early times.

Links: Scordatura
Wikipedia.org definition of scordatura
Discussion and examples
Definition and example

Recordings of the Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas

Rosary Sonatas, Pavlo Beznosiuk
Pavlo Beznosiuk, violins
David Roblou, Harpsichord, chamber organ
Paula Chateauneuf, Theorbo, archlute
Richard Tunnicliffe, Viola da Gamba, Violone
Timothy West, Reader
Recorded 30 Nov to 4 Dec 2003, St Andrew's Church, Toddington, Gloucestershire
AVIE AV 0038 [2 CDs: 79.47 + 77.18]

Biber's Rosary Sonatas, Andrew Manze
Andrew Manze, violin
Richard Egarr, cembalo, organ
Allison Mcgillivray, Cello
Copyright: 2004
Harmonia Mundi HMU 907321.22 2 CDs

Biber's Rosary Sonatas, Walter Reiter, Cordaria
Walter Reiter, violin
Timothy Roberts, cembalo, organ
Elizabeth Kenny, Theorbo
Joanna Levine, Cello, Viola da gamba
Frances Kelly, Double harp
Mark Levy, Lirone
Kah-Ming Ng, Regal
Copyright: January 29, 2002, Signum UK 2 CDs

Biber's Rosary Sonatas, Reinhard Goebel
Reinhard Goebel, violin
Andreas Spering, harpsichord, organ
Konrad Junghänel, lute
Phoebe Carrai, Cello
Recorded: January, 1990
Signum UK 2 CDs

Of the four performances, the one by Andrew Manze is the most sparsely instrumented. It is close to solo violin performance, and the music has an edge I enjoy that the other recitals lack.

Walter Reiter, with Cordaria, is the most richly arranged, one might almost say orchestrated. The tempos are a bit slower, allowing the music its full voice. So far, this is my favorite.

Here are mp3 and QT files of the first few phrases from each of the recordings. These are large files so be patient.

Pavlo Beznosiuk QT file: 1.3 MB

Pavlo Beznosiuk mp3 file: 1.3 MB

Andrew Manze QT file: 1.6 MB

Andrew Manze mp3 file: 1.6 MB

Walter Reiter, Cordaria QT file: 1.7 MB

Walter Reiter, Cordaria mp3 file: 1.7 MB

Reinhard Goebel, Musica Antiqua Köln QT file: 1 MB

Reinhard Goebel, Musica Antiqua Köln mp3 file: 1 MB

This table compares the instrumentation of the performances.

Sonata	Beznosiuk	Manze	Reiter	Goebel	Violin Pitch
1 Annunciation	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Double Harp	Violin Organ Lute Cello	G D A E
2 Visitation	Violin Harpsichord Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Harpsichord Viola da Gamba	Violin Cembalo Cello	A E A E
3 Nativity	Violin Archlute Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Theorbo Double Harp	Violin Cembalo	B F# B D
4 Presentation in the Temple	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Organ Lute Cello	A D A C#
5 The Finding in the Temple	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Cembalo Cello	A E A C#
6 Agony in the Garden	Violin Chamber Organ Archlute	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo	Violin Organ Cello	Ab Eb G D
7 Scourging	Violin Viola da Gamba	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Cembalo Cello	C F A C
8 Crowning with Thorns	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Chamber Organ Regal Viola da Gamba	Violin Organ Cello	D F Bb D
9 Carrying of the Cross	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Lirone	Violin Organ Lute Cello	C E A E
10 Crucifixion	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Cello	Violin Organ Cello	G D A D
11 Resurrection	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Viola da Gamba	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Harpsichord Viola da Gamba	Violin Organ Cello	G D G D
12 Ascension	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Violone	Violin Harpsichord Cello	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Cello	Violin Cembalo Cello	C E G C
13 Descent of the Holy Ghost	Violin Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Cello	Violin Organ Lute Cello	A E C# E
14 Assumption of Mary	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Double Harp	Violin Organ Lute Cello	A E C D
15 Coronation of Mary	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Archlute Violone	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Viola da Gamba Double Harp	Violin Cembalo Cello	G C G D
Guardian Angel Passacaglia	Violin	Violin	Violin	Violin	G D A E