Heinrich Biber (1644 - 1704) Bohemian

A list of compositions by Heinrich Biber

            Heinrich Biber was a Bohemian composer and violinist.  While he wrote a variety 

      of instrumental works and sacred vocal works, he is most known for his contributions 

      to violin composing.  He greatly expanded the technical aspects of violin playing lead-

     ing to the rise of the violin virtuoso.  Biber lived most of his adult life in Salzburg, Austria.

Rosary Mystery Sonatas  (c. 1676)

            The Rosary Sonatas (Rosenkranzsonaten, also known as the Mystery Sonatas or Copper-

      Engraving Sonatas) by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber are a collection of 15 short sonatas for 

      violin and continuo, with a final passacaglia for solo violin.  Each has a title related to the 

     Christian Rosary devotion practice and possibly to the Feast of the Guardian Angels.

            The 15 Mysteries are divided into three cycles.  The 15 sonatas are organized into the 

      same three cycles: five Joyful Mysteries, five Sorrowful Mysteries and five Glorious 

      Mysteries.

            The 15 Mysteries of the Rosary, practiced in the so-called “Rosary processions” since 

      the 13th century, are meditations on important moments in the life of Christ and the Virgin 

      Mary.  During these processions, believers walked around a cycle of fifteen paintings and 

      sculptures that were placed at specific points of a church or another building.  In this trad-

      ition, at every point a series of prayers was recited and related to the beads on the rosary and

      biblical passages were read. 

 

           After the 15 sonatas the work ends with a "passacaglia" for solo violin, the earliest  

          known work for solo violin.  The passacaglia is in G minor and is built on the repetition 

          of four descending notes: G -F - E -D while the violin explores different melodic phrases 

          over them.

 

          The complete Mystery Sonatas take about two hours to perform.

Sonata	Tuning# IV—III—II—I
1. The Annunciation (Standard Tuning)	G3—D4—A4—E5
2. The Visitation	A3—E4—A4—E5
3. The Nativity	B3—F#4—B4—D5
4. The Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple	A3—D4—A4—D5
5. The Twelve-Year-Old Jesus	A3—E4—A4—C#5
6. Christ on the Mount of Olives	Ab3—Eb4—G4—D5
7. The Scourging at the Pillar	C4—F4—A4—C5
8. The Crown of Thorns	D4—F4—Bb4—D5
9. Jesus Carries the Cross	C4—E4—A4—E5
10. The Crucifixion	G3—D4—A4—D5
11. The Resurrection (IV—II—III—I)*	G3—G4—D4—D5
12. The Ascension	C4—E4—G4—C5
13. Pentecost	A3—E4—C#5—E5
14. The Assumption of the Virgin	A3—E4—A4—D5
15. The Beatification of the Virgin	G3—C4—G4—D5
16. Passacaglia (Standard Tuning)	G3—D4—A4—E5

 1. The Annunciation - Liza Ferschtman, violin Mahan Esfahani, organ (5:45)

2.  The earliest known solo piece for violin:

     Passacaglia -  Dmitry Sinkovsky,  (9:43 - play last 1/2).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Violin Sonata No. 5 in E Minor, Elizabeth Blumenstock & Voices of Music  (11:30)


Other works:

    Harmonia artificioso-ariosa  (1696)  14 partitas 

    Battalia  - a programmatic "battle" piece  (1673)  (small orchestra work)  (10:30)

1. Sonata
2. Die liederliche Gesellschaft von allele Humor  (The dissolute company of all sorts of humor)
3. Presto
4. Der Mars
5. Presto
6. Aria
7. Die Schlacht  (The Battle)
8. Adagio. Lamento der Verwundten Musquetirer  (Lament of the Wounded Musquetirers)

    Missa Salisburgensis  (1682)  Biber's finest sacred work