As we embrace the Winnipeg Baroque Festival (March 30th to April 19th), we here at Classic 107 will be exploring Rosary Sonatas of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber. This is a rare chance to immerse yourself in Biber’s profound storytelling. Whether you're a seasoned early music aficionado or a curious newcomer, tune in and let these sonatas transport you through centuries of devotion and artistry.
Biber’s Rosary Sonatas (also called the Mystery Sonatas) are a musical meditation on the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Each sonata corresponds to a different event in the rosary, divided into three groups: the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries.
Every day this week at 1 p.m., listeners can tune to experience three of Biber’s Rosary Sonatas, unfolding in sequence from the Joyful to the Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries. Each broadcast offers a chance to immerse in the rich storytelling and expressive depth of these Baroque masterpieces. On Friday, the series concludes with Sonatas 13–15, culminating in the deeply moving Passacaglia, a solo violin meditation that serves as a poignant finale. Whether you're a longtime fan of early music or discovering Biber for the first time, this daily journey through the Rosary Sonatas is not to be missed.
The recording featured in this week is by violinist Alan Choo, accompanied by Apollo’s Fire under the direction of Jeanette Sorrell. This stunning performance was captured at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, between 2021 and 2023. The recording was produced and edited by Erica Brenner, with Daniel Shores serving as the recording and mix engineer, and Paul Blakemore handling the mastering. The rich acoustics and expert musicianship make this a standout interpretation of Biber’s Rosary Sonatas.
The Art of Scordatura
One of the most fascinating aspects of Biber’s Rosary Sonatas is the use of scordatura—a technique where the violin is deliberately retuned to create different resonances and timbral effects. Each sonata requires a unique tuning, challenging the performer with unfamiliar fingerings and sonorities. This technique not only enhances the music’s expressive power but also serves a symbolic purpose, reinforcing the emotional and spiritual essence of each mystery. The final Passacaglia returns to standard tuning, providing a sense of resolution after a journey through faith and suffering.
Monday, March 31: Sonatas 1–3 (The Joyful Mysteries)
Sonata 1 – The Annunciation
Tuning: Standard (G-D-A-E)
The journey begins with the archangel Gabriel descending to announce to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Messiah. The virtuosic prelude suggests the fluttering of angel wings, followed by a tender aria and variations reflecting Mary’s inner thoughts. The finale’s mysterious and dramatic stylus phantasticus writing builds to a thrilling climax, with a final D major chord seemingly symbolizing the moment of conception.
Sonata 2 – The Visitation
Tuning: A-E-A-E (lower two strings retuned)
Biber raises the lower two strings, mirroring the top strings an octave lower, creating a bright and resonant A-major sonority. This sunny tonality reflects Mary’s joyful visit to her cousin Elizabeth, who is also miraculously pregnant. The final Presto, with rapid string crossings, vividly conveys the infant John the Baptist leaping for joy in the womb.
Sonata 3 – The Nativity
Tuning: B-F#-B-D (warm, resonant sound)
The tuning forms a B-minor triad, giving the sonata a subdued, peaceful quality that evokes the quiet nativity scene at night. A duet between violin and harp begins the piece, with viola da gamba and theorbo later adding to the intimacy. A hint of sadness foreshadows the events to come.
Tuesday, April 1: Sonatas 4–6
Sonata 4 – The Presentation
Tuning: A-D-A-D (open-string resonance emphasizing solemnity)
Biber’s tuning choice creates a resplendent D-minor sonority. This is one of only two sonatas based on a ground bass throughout. The ringing open D string enhances the sonata’s solemnity, capturing the moment Joseph and Mary present the infant Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Sonata 5 – The Finding in the Temple
Tuning: A-E-A-C# (introducing a more piercing tonal colour)
The tuning outlines an A-major triad, allowing for a striking C♯ unison early on. After three days of searching, Joseph and Mary find 12-year-old Jesus in the temple courts, astonishing the elders with his wisdom. The tuning’s warmth may reflect the parents’ relief at finding their son.
Sonata 6 – The Agony in the Garden
Tuning: Ab-Eb-G-D (unsettling, mournful timbre)
Marking the transition to the Sorrowful Mysteries, the C-minor tonality and scordatura create darkness and tension. The clashing of open strings evokes struggle, setting the stage for Christ’s suffering.
Wednesday, April 2: Sonatas 7–9 (The Sorrowful Mysteries)
Sonata 7 – The Scourging at the Pillar
Tuning: C-F-A-C (dark, striking sonority reflecting suffering)
The opening Allamanda is tender and prayerful, as if from the perspective of a faithful believer. The Sarabanda, however, plunges into violent bow strokes imitating the scourging, while surreal bariolage passages create haunting unison effects.
Sonata 8 – The Crowning with Thorns
Tuning: D-F-Bb-D (reinforcing a bleak, tortured sound)
This tuning, with its unusually raised lowest string, enables striking pizzicato textures and harpsichord effects. The rigid rhythms convey mockery and suffering as Christ’s crown of thorns is forced upon him.
Sonata 9 – The Carrying of the Cross
Tuning: C-E-A-E (unusual tension between open and stopped strings)
Intense suspensions and sighing figures create a sense of deep pathos, evoking the weight of the cross. Like The Annunciation, stylus phantasticus passages frame the sonata, heightening the drama.
Thursday, April 3: Sonatas 10–12 (The Glorious Mysteries)
Sonata 10 – The Crucifixion
Tuning: G-D-A-D (heavy, grave tuning for profound depth)
A relentless four-note motif symbolizes the crucifix, while rhythmic figures evoke the nailing of Jesus to the cross. The sorrowful G-minor tuning enhances the poignancy of the Aria, possibly representing Mary weeping at the foot of the cross.
Sonata 11 – The Resurrection
Tuning: G-G-D-D (bright and open, symbolizing triumph)
A bold and innovative tuning, placing adjacent open strings in fifths, allows for remarkable sonorities and visual symbolism of the cross. This glorious soundscape captures the triumph of the Resurrection.
Sonata 12 – The Ascension
Tuning: C-E-G-C (a striking tuning for celestial uplift)
A full C-major chord resonates triumphantly, with rising scales symbolizing Christ’s ascension. A Tubicinum section, imitating trumpet calls, is further enriched by added drums, evoking a grand celestial procession.
Friday, April 4: Sonatas 13–15 and the Chaconne
Sonata 13 – The Descent of the Holy Spirit
Tuning: A-E-C#-E (resonant and full-bodied)
Double-stop trills imitate the sudden winds of Pentecost, made possible by the ingenious scordatura tuning. This sonata vividly captures the moment when the Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles.
Sonata 14 – The Assumption
Tuning: A-E-A-D (rich and meditative, reflecting devotion)
A joyful Praeludium leads into a celebratory ground bass. As the solo violin drops out mid-phrase, the continuo fades in sequence, symbolizing the Virgin Mary’s ascent into heaven.
Sonata 15 – The Coronation of the Virgin
Tuning: C-G-C-D (bright and regal sonority)
This final scordatura sonata features a resplendent tuning. The Canzon builds energy as instruments enter one by one, culminating in a grand yet tender Sarabanda.
Passacaglia
Tuning: Standard (G-D-A-E) – marking a return to stability and resolution
The lone violin contemplates all that has transpired, echoing the footsteps of a Guardian Angel who never leaves our side. This profound Passacaglia laid the groundwork for Bach’s great Chaconne.
