M. H. Page | S. San Francisco, CA USA | 03/07/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm a longtime lover of the music of the Baroque, and for me there is but one god and his name is Bach. Nonetheless, Mr Biber, whose birth predates Bach by 40 years,and is relativly unknown, deserves a prominent place in the pantheon of 17th century composers. The Rosenkrantzsonaten is Biber's best known work, and is a tour-de-force for the violin. This work employs a tuning method known as "scordatura" which is an abnormal tuning to achieve a special effect. As a former piano player, I can't imagine playing if the keys were changed to different notes. I certainly admire the violinist that undertakes to master this work, which , by the way, Gunar Letzbor has done. He also has the backing of excellent musicians, and a sonicly first rate recording. Highly recommended."
Emotional baroque!!
dolcissima2780 | Pennsylvania, USA | 04/16/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a fabulous recording! When I bought this CD, I was afraid that the Rosenkranz Sonaten would be sterile exercises in baroque violin technique. Was I wrong! Letzbor plays each of the sonatas with charismatic emotion and vitality. I can finally relate each of the sonatas to its proper station on the rosary! There is not a dull moment in this recording. Since Letzbor tunes his instrument differently for each sonata, the timbres change from work to work. The recorded sound is great, having much resonance in both the instrument and the venue. The other instruments provide fantastic basso continuo--not too light, but they do not overshadow the star of the show. I listen to this recording far more often than I expected I would."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1