פליציה בלומנטל

Yulia Lurye baroque violin

Lilia Slavny baroque violin

Anton Andreev baroque cello

David Shemer  harpsichord

 

At the heart of the concert is the fantastic, highly virtuosic music of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber — violinist and director of the orchestra of the Princes of Salzburg. His works are full of mysteries and questions, even for modern performers. The concert will also feature compositions by other violinists and leaders of magnificent chapel ensembles in 17th-century Vienna and Salzburg — Schmelzer, Bertali, and Muffat.

 

In the 17th century, a rich and vibrant musical life flourished at the courts of the Austrian nobility. It was customary to maintain a choir and a large orchestra (a chapel), led by some of the most outstanding musicians of the time — most often, violinists. In their compositions, they not only drew on the dominant Italian and French styles of Europe, but also developed a unique musical language known as Stylus Fantasticus. Its free-form structure, unusual harmonies, emotional intensity, and above all, extraordinary virtuosity amazed listeners.

 

The technical violin techniques they developed were centuries ahead of their time, only reappearing in the works of Paganini. Some techniques — such as scordatura (non-standard tuning of the violin) used to create new timbres and harmonic colors — were never used again. Yet beneath the outward extravagance of this music, there is always depth, always a hidden mystery.