Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: The Mystery Sonatas

The lesson begins with information on Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber and the background to the Rosary sonatas. The author’s meditational approach is explained: musicians, like actors, must convince the audience by their simulation of faith. The engraving at the head of the sonata is fully discussed and there are thoughts on instrumentation and structure. The full biblical texts for the two Rosary sonatas discussed in the book are reproduced in Appendix IV. In the two lessons on Biber, the biblical and musical texts are constantly interwoven to suggest programmatic content, as if the narrative is recounted by the notes themselves, the rhetoric of the Gospel and Biber’s music fully aligned. Much in this approach is speculation, but the author believes that the clearer the performer’s vision, the more intense and meaningful will be the result. As usual, the “Observations” section is packed with suggestions and information based on many years of performing these unique works.