Biber - Soldiers, Gypsies, Farmers and a Night Watchman - Combattimento Consort Amsterdam

Biber - Soldiers, Gypsies, Farmers and a Night Watchman - Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Baroque | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 323 MB
January 4, 2005 | Challenge Classics | RapidShare

The Biber CD is an absolute delight. Bohemian-born Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704) spent most of his life in Salzburg where he was recognized as one of the finest violinists and composers of the era. He wrote much "program music" including what is heard on this CD which producers have labeled Soldiers, Gypsies, Farmers and a Night Watchman. It contains 8 descriptive pieces each of which tells a story often in vivid musical terms; discription is given of the program for each section. Perhaps Vivaldi heard Biber's music and it influenced his writing his Op. 8 concertos known as The Four seasons, composed in 1712. As CD notes point out, Biber could be considered an avant-garde composer for several reasons including unusual treatment of instruments (the double bassist is directed to insert a small piece of cardboard-like material under the A-string to suggest drum rolls), tuning, and setting songs simultaneously, the latter done by Charles Ives two centuries later. Combattimento Consort Amsterdam is led by violinist Jan Willem de Vriend. Other instruments are viola, cello, double bass, organ, harpsichord, dulcimer and chitaronne. The group has been performing music from the period 1600-1800 for over two decades. This is a terrific CD and one I will return to often.

CD Content

Arien à 4, suite for violin, 2 violas & continuo in A major, C. 53
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend

Sonata à 6 die pauern-Kirchfarth genandt, for 3 violins, 2 violas & continuo in B-flat major, C. 110
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend

Balletto "Die Werber," suite for violin, 3 violas & continuo in B minor (attributed), C. 60 (B. XIV 250)
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend

Serenada à 5, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo (with optional bass voice) in C major ("Nightwatchman's Call"), C. 75
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend

Pars III of "Mensa Sonora", suite for violins, 2 violas & continuo in A minor, C. 71
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend

Ballettae à 4, suite for violin, 2 violas & continuo in E minor, C. 54
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend

Battalia, for 3 violins, 4 violas, 2 violini & keyboard in D major, C. 61 (B. XIV 122)
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend

Sonata Jucunda, for 2 violins, 3 violas & continuo in D major (by either Biber or Schmelzer), C. App 121 (B. IV 100)
Composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Conducted by Jan Vriend