Biber: Rosary Sonatas

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber is one of the most important violinists of the Baroque period, and his virtuoso violin works are among the gems of this era. His Rosary Sonatas are particularly outstanding: in a cycle of 16 sonatas, Biber sets to music the mysteries of the various Rosary prayers that trace the life of Jesus. As a special feature, Biber uses the so-called scordatura technique, in which the strings of the violin are retuned. Biber requires a new tuning for each sonata, thus creating a new sound for each mystery and a great increase in tension throughout the cycle. Leila Schayegh explores Biber's rosary mysteries with great sensitivity. With her stupendous technique, she plays even the most difficult passages with great purity, portraying Biber's master cycle as a very intimate and atmospheric soundscape.