08/12/2023
A favorite composer of Chatham Baroque and its audiences, Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, was born on this day in 1644 in Wartenberg, Bohemia. The Bohemian-Austrian composer and violinist was among the major composers for the violin in the history of the instrument. His own technique allowed him to easily reach the 6th and 7th positions, employ multiple stops in intricate polyphonic passages, and explore the various possibilities of scordatura tuning. He wrote operas, sacred music and music for chamber ensembles. One of the earliest known pieces for solo violin is the monumental passacaglia of the Mystery Sonatas. Biber settled in Salzburg, after leaving the employ of Prince-Bishop Karl Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn, and remained there for the rest of his life, publishing much of his music. In the late 20th century Biber's music, especially the Mystery Sonatas, enjoyed a renaissance and it is widely performed and recorded.
