Written circa 1676, the "Fünfzehn Sonaten über die Mysterien des Rosenkranzes" (Fifteen Sonatas on the Mysteries of the Rosary) are religious meditations, combining secular dance forms with breathtaking, ecstatic quasi-improvisation. The violin part is brilliantly played here by Marianne Ronez, with other members of the Affetti Musicali realizing the bass continuo part on viola da gamba (Amo Jochem), theorbo (Michael Freimuth), and chamber organ (Ernst Kubitschek). Biber employs the subtle use of alternate tuning known as ...
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Written circa 1676, the "Fünfzehn Sonaten über die Mysterien des Rosenkranzes" (Fifteen Sonatas on the Mysteries of the Rosary) are religious meditations, combining secular dance forms with breathtaking, ecstatic quasi-improvisation. The violin part is brilliantly played here by Marianne Ronez, with other members of the Affetti Musicali realizing the bass continuo part on viola da gamba (Amo Jochem), theorbo (Michael Freimuth), and chamber organ (Ernst Kubitschek). Biber employs the subtle use of alternate tuning known as "scordatura", first used by Biagio Marini. Normal tuning limits resonance in deference to the unclouded melodic line, but scordatura allows for new sympathetic resonances with richer sonorities and unusual timbres. Re-tuning also makes possible new multiple-stops, gestures and effects. The work is divided into three larger sections: I. "The Five Joyful Mysteries", II. "The Five Sorrowful Mysteries", and III. "The Five Glorious Mysteries". The Sonatas are usually concluded with the...
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