Ars Antiqua Austria / Gunar Letzbor

Biber's Rosary Sonatas
In 1676, Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704) was not only the most celebrated violin virtuoso north of the Alps, but also the choirmaster of the majestic Salzburg Cathedral. There he created his fifteen Rosary Sonatas: expressive violin music that tells the story of the lives of Mary and Jesus, from the Annunciation to the heavenly coronation. Throughout the cycle, Biber has the violin tuned differently. This so-called scordatura technique produces unheard-of timbres and mood swings. A Passacaglia for the Feast of the Guardian Angels concludes the monumental work. Gunar Letzbor and Ars Antiqua Austria deliver an almost superhuman feat: an integral version of these unique violin meditations.