Biber: Unam Ceylum

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber von Bibern - to give him his correct name and style - was one of the most virtuosic and also most idiosyncratic composers of the Baroque period. Although he wrote masses, motets, and opera, he is especially noted for his works for violin, and was remembered decades after his death as a great executant, much as we today remember Paganini. This recording is of some of the earlier Biber sonatas for solo violin, less well known than the Rosary Sonatas or his later collection, Fidicinium sacro-profanum. In addition to four published in 1681, two previously unpublished sonatas (Nos. 81 and 84) are included, and the last (band 6) on this recording is the only performance on record of No. 84 of which I am aware. It alone is worth the purchase of the album, even if one already has another recording of some of the other pieces on it. "Baroque" is a characterisation of music of this period that damns with faint praise, being derived from a Spanish word for an imperfect pearl. It would be better to speak of the style - especially in Biber's case - as a musical version of mannerism. Biber combines, as did the mannerist painters, a highly formal character with exaggerations and violent contrasts, all delivered in what seems to be an effortless flow of song. The appearance of naturalness and ease in doing what is in fact dauntingly difficult was esteemed during this period as the paramount virtue of an artist - or of a gentleman. The Italians called it "sprezzatura." Biber has it, as did his fellow Salzburger, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (who knew and quoted Biber's work). Listening to this music at one moment you may be reminded of a country fiddle tune, next of "Zigeunerweisen," and after that, all the pomp of a seventeenth-century court. Finally a simple heartfelt melody breaks through. In the few short minutes that each of these sonatas last, Biber communicates a density of information that one can't find in some later composers' symphonies of far more elaborate instrumentation and much greater length. Holloway's performance of these pieces is polished without losing the freshness of spirit they properly convey. The liner notes say that the artist plans to record a second disc with more of the 1681 sonatas. Based on this one, it should be well worth having.

There's little I can add to the four previous rapturous reviews except my personal endorsement. This is, I think, John Holloway's best performance of Biber's violin sonatas, the performance that best matches his tone and phrasing to the eccentricity of the music. His recording of the Rosary Sonatas is no better than third to my taste, well behind Goebel and Huggett. But these sonatas are quite different in character from the Rosaries, more robust and less 'spiritual', more exploratory of the limits of the scordatura violin, more quickly-changing in mood and caprice... more fun if you will.A disagreement exists about the authenticity of Holloway's choice of continuo. He uses organ and harpsichord together. Musicologists might argue that organ and lute or archlute would be more historically justified. My ears, nevertheless, find the organ/harpsichord continuo very convincing, especially since the harpsichordist realizes his part at times in marvelously tasteful imitation of an archlute.Once you hear any of Biber's virtuoso works for violin, I can't imagine that you'll be satisfied with one disk. You'll want this, plus the Monica Huggett Rosary Sonatas (2 CDs), plus the Sonata for two Violas d'amore on the CD "Viola d'Amore" by Affetti Musicali....Read no further, lest you overdraw your credit card!

I first heard a piece from this CD on Sunday Baroque. Since I enjoy the works of Heinrich von Biber, I decided to purchase the CD. There are only 6 tracks but they are all sublime, providing over an hour of beautiful music. I would recommend this CD if you are appreciative of classical baroque music.

Absolutely intoxicating: I listened to many of the Manze recordings of baroque violin as well as other highly rated performances in this genre but find myself coming back again and again to this CD. If you can only buy one Biber, this is the one!

excellent, a welcome addition to my collection.

Biber, to my mind at least, is a hidden treasure. This lovely album, coupled with his Mystery Sonatas, comprises some of the loveliest violin sonatas I've ever discovered. Bach, Albinoni and Vivaldi all come to mind, in the sense that there is real joyful invention in the music, played superbly by Holloway, a great advocate for Biber,and with real delight in the music making. This is a disc of real colour and range in the irresistible melody lines, and the combination of violin, with organ and harpsichord as continuo, provides a real warmth to the music making.Biber is now well known for his 'scordatura', re-tuning of the strings to increase the range and complexity of the instrument, but this technical feat would be limited were it not coupled with blissfully expressive music, in which the violin can make little skipping dances one moment, then deliver a ghostly beauty the next. Performances and recording are outstanding here, and the colour and warmth of the melodies highly addictive. No lover of the violin, or exquisitely melodic music, should be without this, or Holloway's recording of the Mystery Sonatas Biber - The Mystery Sonatas Simply gorgeous music. A Gramophone 'Star' recommendation, and little wonder!

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I am a great fan of the music of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704), and always look out for cds of his music to add to my collection. This is a wonderful collection of Biber’s sonatas, including two previously unpublished works. They are presented beautifully by John Holloway on violin, with Aloysia Assenbaum, organ, and Lars Ulrik Mortensen, haprischord. Biber’s writing for the violin tends to sometimes verge on the impossible, with stong virtuosic demands, and Holloway continues to prove himself more than capable of sympathetically and musically portraying Biber’s music on this cd. Indeed, John Holloway’s participation in any baroque violin music would be a selling point for me, I am a great admirer of his work in baroque music.The pieces on this cd are:Sonata III F major from Sonatae Violino solo 1681Sonata IV D major from Sonatae Violino solo 1681Sonata No. 81 A major – unpublishedSonata VI C minor from Sonatae Violino solo 1681Sonata VII G major from Sonatae Violino solo 1681Sonata No. 84 E major – unpublishedThere is a very comprehensive booklet with the cd, including performers’ notes by John Holloway, where he explains among other things his decision on the instrumentation used in this recording. There is also a very interesting article on Biber’s violin sonatas by Peter Wollny. This is a highly recommended recording, and I am glad to add it to my collection, where it will be listened to often.

L'exécution est impressionante, et superbe comme toujours avec McCreesh. Cependant l'acoustique donne un rendu plus confus que celui du 33t de Segarra (moins complet) enregistré auparavant dans la cathédrale de Salzburg.