Jazz Articles

Julia Wedman: Biber - Mystery Sonatas

by C. Michael Bailey
March 19, 2011

Before Perlman, Mutter and Mullova were Grumiaux, Heifetz and Stern. Preceding them were Berwald, Spohr and Paganini, and prior to them were Benda, Cannabich and Stamitz. Predating those composers were Vivaldi, Corelli and Bach. And, finally, before all of them was Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704). Biber was the foremost violinist and composer for the violin of the early Baroque period. Of his many violin sonatas, the sixteen so- called “Mystery" or “Rosary" sonatas exist as the pinnacle of his ...