ビーバー: ロザリオのソナタ

アムステルダムでグスタフ・レオンハルト、アメリカでロジャー・ノリントン、レナード・バーンスタインに師事した才女ジャネット・ソレルが創設したクリーヴランドのピリオド・オーケストラ、アポロズ・ファイア。ニューアルバムでは、アポロズ・ファイアのコンサートマスター(リーダー)と副芸術監督(Assistant Artistic Director)を務めるシンガポールのヴァイオリニスト、アラン・チューを主役に据えて、ハインリヒ・ビーバーの代表作、「ロザリオのソナタ(ミステリー・ソナタ)」の全曲をレコーディング!

1644年にボヘミアのヴァルテンベルクで生を受け、17世紀を代表するヴァイオリン奏者、作曲家として現在までその名を語り継がれるハインリヒ・イグナツ・フランツ・フォン・ビーバー(1644-1704)。ビーバーの代表作「ロザリオのソナタ」は、聖母マリアへの祈りを表した15のソナタに、無伴奏のパッサカリア(守護天使)からなる大作で、最初のソナタと終曲のパッサカリア以外はすべてスコルダトゥーラ(変則調弦)が用いられた難曲としても知られています。アラン・チューはこの特殊調弦に対応するために6本のヴァイオリンを用い、それぞれの異なる色彩と音色を強調し、ビーバーが描いたロザリオの絵画的なテーマに光をあてています。
東京エムプラス

The Mystery Sonatas (or "Rosary Sonatas") of Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber rank among the greatest examples of virtuoso program music in the entire history of the violin tradition. The set is probably more often recorded than performed; to do the whole thing is a bear, requiring (in most cases) frequent changes of violin as well a good deal of endurance; this recording was made over a series of sessions. Violinist Alan Choo is equal to the works technical demands, which rival those in Bachs unaccompanied violin sonatas and partitas, and he is an expressive player who would give the novice listener a good shot at guessing the Passion story content on which the work is based. He has good control in the towering final passacaglia. The novelty in this performance is the hefty continuo group, drawn from the larger Apollos Fire ensemble and led by its conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell; the continuo group also contains cello, a pair of violas da gamba, lirone, theorbo, Baroque guitar, archlute, triple harp, chamber organ, and percussion (there are seven players in all, including Sorrell). This is a lot for a work that, as far as one can know at this remove, was probably intended for quiet contemplation (again, like Bachs sonatas and partitas) rather than for public display. The name "Rosary Sonatas" suggests this. On the other hand, the continuo forces are deployed so as to intensify the mood of the individual pieces and even, in some cases, to contribute to the programmatic representation. Would Biber have played the music this way? One cant really know, but it is a fresh look at the work, and Sorrells additions are tastefully done. At the very least, this album announces an important new voice in the Baroque violin field. ~ James Manheim