Album

This marvellous collection of Biber's works, played brilliantly by the Purcell Quartet, interposes the 12 sonatas of the "Fidicinium sacro-profanum" (circa 1682) with other short programmatic works, much as was done when he worked for Prince-Bishop Karl at Kromeriz. The "Fidicinium" sonatas for string quartet were revolutionary in their form and their emphasis on harmony, and were created for the 1100th anniversary of the founding of the archdiocese of Salzburg by Saint Rupert. The quick alternation of tempi do indeed contrast a "sacred", sustained, church atmosphere with lively dances of jubilee and joy. Sonata I, for example, quickly moves from Allegro to Adagio, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro, Adagio, Grave, Adagio. After the first two sonatas, the remarkable "Nisi Dominus" for solo violin with its multiple stops, spectacular flourishes and arpeggiations negotiated around a scared vocal style is played. The next interpolation is the "Battalia à 10", a programmatic pece depicting the batlefield before and after with amazing effects: col legno battutta (hitting the strings with the wood of the bow), a drunken section in which 8 different tunes in different keys (!) are all played at once, and paper attached to a string of the violin to imitate a drum. The "Laetatus Sum" is like the "Nisi Dominus" in its virtuosity. The "Balletti lamentabili" (1670) is a suite of four secular dances that begins with a lament turning into a positive tone with a triple meter forte (unusual for the 17th century). The Serenada "Nightwatchman's Call" is a wonderful programmatic piece for bass vocalist announcing the time of day in friendly little poems accompanied by the strings played like lutes. The famous "Passacaglia" for solo violin with its 65 repeats of a descending figure ends the ensemble.

© "Blue Gene" Tyranny, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89 Work 10:44 Purcell Quartet Ensemble, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
1	No.1 in B-, C.78	4:37			$0.99
2	No.2 in F, C.79	6:07			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Nisi Dominus, vesper-psalm for solo voices, chorus, orchestra, and continuo in D-, C.22 Work Robert Woolley Organ, Catherine Mackintosh Violin, Richard Wistreich Bass
3	Nisi Dominus, vesper-psalm for solo voices, chorus, orchestra, and continuo in D-, C.22	9:24			$1.49
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89 Work 11:05 Purcell Quartet Ensemble, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
4	No.3 in D-, C.80	4:48			$0.99
5	No.4 in G-, C.81	6:17			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Battalia, for 3 violins, 4 violas, 2 violini, and keyboard in D, C.61 Work Anna McDonald Violin, Rachel Byrt Viola, Pamela Cresswell Viola, William Hunt Violone, Purcell Quartet Ensemble, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
6	Battalia, for 3 violins, 4 violas, 2 violini, and keyboard in D, C.61	8:11			$1.49
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89 Work 9:58 Purcell Quartet Ensemble, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
7	No.5 in C, C.82	3:36			$0.99
8	No.6 in A-, C.83	6:22			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Laetatus Sum à7, for 2 solo voices, violin, 3 violas, and continuo, C.9 Work Anna McDonald Violin, Peter Harvey Bass, Rachel Byrt Viola, Robert Woolley Violone, Richard Boothby Violone, Catherine Mackintosh Violin, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Richard Wistreich Bass
9	Laetatus Sum à7, for 2 solo voices, violin, 3 violas, and continuo, C.9	8:31			$1.49
CD 2 of 2
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89 Work 7:58 Robert Woolley Organ, Richard Boothby Violone, Catherine Mackintosh Violin, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
1	No.7 in D, C.84	4:08			$0.99
2	No.8 in Bb, C.85	3:50			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Balletti Lamentabili a4, suite for violin, 2 violas and continuo in E-, C.59 Work 9:54 Anna McDonald Viola, Robert Woolley Organ, Richard Boothby Violone, Catherine Mackintosh Violin, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
3	1.Sonata	2:56			$0.99
4	2.Allamanda	1:29			$0.99
5	3.Sarabande	1:25			$0.99
6	4.Gavotte	0:35			$0.99
7	5.Gigue	1:48			$0.99
8	6.Lamenti	1:41			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89 Work 11:19 Robert Woolley Organ, Richard Boothby Violone, Catherine Mackintosh Violin, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
9	No.9 in G, C.86	6:23			$0.99
10	No.10 in E, C.87	4:56			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Serenada à 5, for 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in C ('Nightwatchman's Call'), C.75 Work 10:25 Peter Harvey Bass, Rachel Byrt Viola, Purcell Quartet Ensemble, Katherine McGillivray Viola
11	1.Serenada	1:19			$0.99
12	2.Allemanda	1:47			$0.99
13	3.Aria	1:34			$0.99
14	4.Ciacona: Lost Ihr Herrn	2:22			$0.99
15	5.Gavotte	2:00			$0.99
16	6.Retirada	1:23			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89 Work 11:34 Robert Woolley Organ, Richard Boothby Violone, Catherine Mackintosh Violin, Katherine McGillivray Viola, Annette Isserlis Viola
17	No.11 in C-, C.88	6:00			$0.99
18	No.12 in A, C.89	5:34			$0.99
Heinrich Franz von Biber Composer 16 Rosenkranz-Sonaten ('Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas'), C. 90-105 Work Catherine Mackintosh Violin
19	Sonata No.16 in G-: Sonata of the Guardian Angel, C.105: Passacaglia	8:29			$1.49