Ars Antiqua Austria & Gunar Letzbor

Biber - Sonatae Tam Aris Quam Aulis Servientes - Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor (2015) {Challenge Classics CC72676}
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© 2015 Challenge Classics | CC72676
Classical / Baroque

Don’t be put off by the title: this is wonderful music, and all the words indicate is that the pieces can be used in church or court… what you get in these 12 sonatas is the music of gesture: sweeping roulades, folksy melodies, plangent fanfares. Fiercely incisive playing from Ars Antiqua, the six strings led by Gunar Letzbor, and unforced accuracy from the trumpets.

Every so often, one becomes enchanted by the accomplishments of a true genius. When such a genius is only 11 years of age, we cannot help but reflect on mankind's wonderful gifts. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart granted the world with a source of pleasure, beauty and inspiration that will be ours to enjoy forever. The goal of this recording was to produce, as simply, organically and accurately as possible, a journey back to what might have happened when the 11-year-old Mozart wrote and performed the music featured here.

Eduard Melkus brought Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber's (1644-1704) Rosary Sonatas (Rosenkranzsonaten) to new life with his groundbreaking 1967 recording; in the six decades that have passed since then, the pieces, which are as virtuoso as they are meditative in mood, have conquered a firm place in the discographies of ambitious baroque violinists. The Austrian violinist Gunar Letzbor has been considered one of the leading interpreters of this famous cycle since he recorded his interpretation on album for the Arcana label in 1996. The success was overwhelming: the critics were enthusiastic and the recording is still today available in the label's catalogue.

The Benedictine abbey at Lambach in Upper Austria was founded in 1056. Research undertaken since 2002 has revealed a treasure trove of musical works written by musicians associated with the abbey. Two such composers are featured on this disc, recorded in the historic building itself: Beniamin Ludwig Ramhaufski (c.1631-1694) and the Salzburgborn Joseph Balthasar Hochreither (1669-1731), who possibly studied with Biber.

Romanus Weichlein was an Austrian composer and organist of the mid Baroque period who published a set of 12 sonatas for strings and continuo in 1695 entitled Encaenia Musices.In some of the sonatas the strings are joined by 2 trumpets to spectacular effect and it's very clear that these admirable compositions were influenced by Heinrich Biber's Sonatae Tam Aulis Servientes of 1676.Weichlein is believed to have met Biber when in Salzburg and it's quite apparent that Biber was to have a big influence on the slightly younger composer.