The State of Biber Recordings - June 2001
Another biberfan.com archive post. I looked at my own survey of Biber recordings I'd collected up to this point.
I often wonder, if given the chance to go back in time, and listen, how incredible the old composer's music would sound. I think it is the essence of this very desire, to go back and hear the original, that fuels the contemporary movement for historical authenticity in musical performance. And while many of the recordings listed below aim for some degree of authenticity, it is not the only measure of a performance. What I offer here are some extraordinary recordings of music by a likewise extraordinary composer, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber.
Sonatas of 1681
I suspect this is a very popular release in collections now since the popularity of Romanesca, with Andrew Manze on violin, really began with their Vivaldi set and this set of Biber CDs. This recording is rare in that this is the major recording for these works in the current catalogue. Included with the 8 remarkable sonatas are the passacaglia for solo lute, the famous Sonata Representative, and the named-sonata, La Pastorella. While this sonata is never my favorite, the final bonus, the passacaglia for solo violin from the Rosary Sonatas, disappoints too.
The strongest thing on this set is the Sonata Representativa, where Manze and his 2 colleagues manage to create quite a bit of excitement. The Musketeer's March is the finest! I'm not always happy with Manze's style, nor his violin tone, but in all this is not a bad set. The real disappointment is the calmness and lack of excitement generated during the long passacaglia--for my taste too slow (and boring) for an otherwise fine work for solo violin. A set for the collector of Biber's music.
Mystery Sonatas
I had seen Letzbor's name before among the ranks of Musica Antiqua Köln, and decided, on a rainy day, to go out and try this set of Biber's Mystery Sonatas for the Rosary. These are by far, in my opinion, Biber's best works, 16 sonatas for scordatura violin with continuo, save for the last, a solo passacaglia, predating in style and expanse Bach's own Passacaglia for Solo Violin. This set is accompanied by several continuo artists, on lute, organ, cello, double-bass, harpsichord, etc. In all, an interesting treatment for continuo throughout.
To be brief, this is not the best set, but it is a set you might often want to take a listen to. There are some exciting bold things being done here, and it is true the violinist is authentic in originality and in many aspects of technique, historically speaking. Good violin sound, if not at times carried to the extreme. But this extremeness is what makes you laugh when you listen, or say "wow, whoa!" as he plays along. Some passages are performed with spit and flash, while others are contemplative. Intonation is good, and all in all, a strong reading of some very difficult works.
Biber's Sonatas for Trumpet and Strings
These sonatas were intended both "for the altar and the table," indicating they could be used as church music or as entertainment music. This was most often said to make the works sell. 12 Sonatas in all, we can't help but imagine some actually being used in lavish mass services in Salzburg's Cathedral, with the use of trumpets. The trumpet playing on this CD is excellent, and Manfredo Kraemer, another ex-Musica Antiqua Köln performer, leads the group with violin.
This CD offers as a great companion to the other CD featuring these works, below. Why? Both have great performances. This CD is recorded in a larger acoustic, yet this adds to smooth the string texture, both nutty, rustic, but not too thin. Having all 12 sonatas in one collection is good, and there is a lot of excitement generated by this ensemble. Rarely do baroque trumpets sound this good, and that's perhaps why it's performed by a council of rare... fruits.
Missa Salisburgensis
The great Salzburg Mass. We suspect it was written by Biber, but no one knows for sure. While the pictures on the CD cover show the contemporary Salzburg Cathedral inside, it was a pity it was not recorded there, but instead, in England. Two ensembles merge here to form one great mass of sound, and one is invited to audition this CD with the volume cranked on a good stereo. In addition to the mass in 5 movements, are 5 additional movements as "filler," which is not inappropriate or unoriginal. Two tracks are by other composers, trumpet tunes, and this music is festive and sounds fantastic in this large 3-D space. The string sound for 2 "sonatas for the altar or the table" sound a bit strained, being recorded from some distance, with a violinist who knowingly is not comfortable performing with things reversed (Goebel has learned to play the violin 'backwards' after the laming of his left hand). Yet, the CD together attempts to recreate a large religious ceremony, with a focus on the music. A good effort from all involved, and the sonics of the recording space, while not "authentic" are pretty incredible.
Biber: Battalia
How would an Italian ensemble perform Biber's music? I am probably somewhat biased towards those Germans, but here was a new CD, wrapped in an attractive package. First, the programming of this CD reminds me of what Creesh did above with the Mass: he programs an entire CD, and in this case, as the one above, not everything performed is by the one composer. Here we match together a Trumpet Fanfare by Zelenka (late Baroque), with Biber's Battalia, the passacaglia for solo lute (on the Romanesca set), the violin sonata representativa, 2 fillers, then the Biber Partita VII from the Harmonia-Artificiosa-Ariosa for 2 viola d'amore and basso continuo, published in 1696. Then, strangely, the CD turns to Matthew Locke, featuring music for the Tempest, Shakespeare's play.
Enrico Onorfi is probably one of the most talented Baroque violnists alive today, and does fascinating things on this CD of Biber's music. While his sound and technique are never too German-sounding (he might have benefitted from using a Stainer violin), his freedom in playing and spontaneous feel he lends ornaments, etc. is so refreshing. I can see him performing this music, into the line, the harmony, and the shape of the entire piece. I had the great fortune of seeing Onorfi perform early Italian sonatas once with an Armonico harpsichordist in Cleveland, OH once, and it was by far the most moving musical performance I had ever seen.
With this aside, this CD has much to offer. First, I don't like the announcement of titles in the Sonata Representativa. Luca Pianca, the ensemble lutentist, annouces each animal in the solo violin sonata, where different animals (chickens, cats, etc.) are represented. The strongest work on the CD is the Partita for 2 viola d'amore. Wow. This is my favorite work from the entire set of these engaging sonatas, which I have on record elsewhere as a set. The level of playing here is so sophisticated compared by my other recording (I'll get it on here in time). Great music comes together for something special in the last movement, a passacaglia (labeled Arietta variata) and wow--they've thought and planned on this one to make one really exciting musical performance. You have to hear it to believe, I think... tenor chalumeau in the continuo, with little noodling from the ensemble's director, G. Antonini, wow, at times they sound like they'll break the instruments, but always in good taste. Highly recommended.
Scherzi Musicali: Musical Jokes
I always like CDs by Reinhard Goebel. Recorded at Goebel's homebase in 1989, this is another one of those special CDs that really features music by both Biber and Schmelzer, with one thrown-in at the end by Johann Jakob Walther. This is middle-German string music with humorous under-pinnings. I remember getting this CD, finding it, at Planet Music in Virginia Beach, VA in 1995. I was intrigued by the CD's cover and had no idea what the music would sound like. Great stuff! Highlights include: the Battalia Suite, the Nightwatcher's Serenade, the Fencing Balletto by Schmelzer, and the dubious work by Biber (?) entitled Sonata Jucunda in D. This music all seems to fit together, it's in the same style, and has high-quality performing all around. Goebel is joined here by some other famous names: Manfredo Kraemer, Andrea Keller, Werner Ehrhardt, Gustavo Zarba, Florian Deuter, and Laura Johnson. Wonderful string sound, all performers here seem locked-in on one sound ideal, and almost all instruments are true (modified to) originals.
Schmelzer and Biber: Side by Side?
This CD contains 7 of Biber's Sonatae tam aris quam aulis servientes along with a unique collection of Schmelzer sonatas worth mention: 2 lamenti, a violin sonata in A minor, and the harmonia a cinque for violin, 3 violas, and basso continuo. I had never heard of Petra Müllejans, the lead violinist here, except her inclusion in the larger Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, where she doesn't even play concertmistress! All I can say, some very talented German musicians here performing wonderful music. Trumpet playing on this CD is not as strong as the trumpets on the Fruits Council CD, but is in no-way poor. Where I love the Biber, the Schmelzer works on this CD are the true gems: Schmelzer was a contemporary of Biber, a bit older (by some 20 years) and we suspect Biber may have studied with Schmelzer. Later on, however, Biber and Schmelzer would demonstrate rivalry, and who was to show the other one up? Biber, of course.
Mensa Sonora: Table Music
This was a CD I picked up in London, and hadn't seen in the US in 1995 when I obtained it. It features Biber's Sonata Representativa in addition to 6 string sonatas, intended for festive eating. This is true chamber music, and the CD only has 5 players performing... among them Goebel and M. Kraemer on violin, and Phoebe Cerrai on cello. C. Goossess, from the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, performs on viola. This CD shines on two notes: this some of Biber's finest violin/string ensemble writing ever, so it's great music. But it was also recorded in 1987, a year after Goebel's recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concerti, and roughly 3-years before he "gave up" the violin and retrained. As a performer, he was at the height of his career in terms of technique and "sound." He indeed does have a very rich, unique baroque violin sound, and he is so-well matched here by the other string players. The toughest of lines comes off sounding effortless, and the sound and recording quality is TOP RATE. While compared to others, the programmatic sonata which splits the set into 2 parts is rustic in areas, it's a great reading and exposes the Goebel sound. A very special recording of special music.
Sonatae Pro Tabula
Readers new to this music may wonder why the "table" is always mentioned in some of these collections? Pro tabula, mensa sonora, tafelmusik: banquet music, music for feasting, for sociable gatherings. This is a collection CD, like the Harmonious Garden's above, or the Missa CD, all the music is of the same genre, but not all by Biber. This CD features MAK in it's "new guise," post-hand problems, with mostly new personnel, and in my opinion, this is not the same MAK that we had in 1990. But they are joined here by the Flanders Recorder Quartet to perform Biber's odd-11 trumpet duets, a collection offered as an appendix to the Sonatae Tam Aris Quam aulis Servientes, sonatas by Valentini, Bertali, Schmelzer, and Pezel along with Biber's own massive Sonata "Pro Tabula" in C major. There is some great playing here for the trumpet duets and also the recorder work, although the quality of the music is not always of the highest quality. The big disappointment here is the string playing, it doesn't have that great sound quality it used to have: it's glossy, not always "together" in terms of tone and style. When I saw the group's leader, Florian Deuter perform live with MAK, it was amazing that he could emulate well Goebel's sound. But here, leadership is by the second-in-command (Goebel) and the entire sound of the ensemble, while consistent on newer CDs, is not that of the older ensemble. Goebel's shining contribution to this recording is the liner notes. As always, he has something to say, and holds this music high as a precursor to what Telemann would achieve with his Tafelmusik in the 1730s.
