Florian Deuter; Monica Waisman; Harmonie Universelle
Description
The Salzburg court conductor Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber is known today as a composer of excellent violin literature. His works are appreciated by violinists for their great artistry and virtuosity. Max Gandolf, the art-minded prince archbishop of Salzburg, also appreciated the violin virtuoso at the time and brought Biber to his court.
In public, Biber was mainly active at the cathedral in Salzburg, but Baroque splendour and representation were also in demand at the nearby residence: the same festive instrumental music was heard in the liturgy as well as at courtly ceremonies and banquets. Biber's collection of twelve magnificent sonatas therefore bears the title Sonatæ Tam Aris, quam Aulis Servientes - "to be used both at the altars and in the banquet halls". The instrumentation of strings with two trumpets indicate festive occasions in the presence of the prince - in Salzburg it was customary for two trumpeters to blow fanfare pieces during the princely table in the Residenzhof.
The twelve short trumpet duets from Biber's pen, which the Ensemble Harmonie Universelle placed between the twelve princely sonatas, are probably also related to this.
Harmonie Universelle brings together international musicians in order to explore the vast repertoire of seventeenth and eighteenth century music. Leading the ensemble are German violinist Florian Deuter and Argentine violinist Mónica Waisman. Since its creation, the ensemble has been a regular guest at leading music festivals and on concert stages throughout Europe, including the Utrecht Festival of Early Music, the Leipzig Bach Festival, the Musikfest Bremen, the Festival d'Ambronay, the Festival de Música Antigua de Barcelona, Styriarte in Graz, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Versailles, the Cologne Philharmonic, and many more. The outstanding interpretations of Harmonie Universelle can be heard on CD recordings by the French label Eloquentia and the German label Accent, which have garnered numerous awards from the international press.
"The performances of the Köln-based Harmonie Universelle are stylish and make Biber's wonderful sonatas soar. […] I can't fault the playing of Hans-Martin Rux-Brachtendorf and Astrid Brachtendorf." - MusicWeb International
"These are really first-class performances. The technical level of the ensemble is admirable, but what is even more satisfying is the stylistic persuasiveness of these performances. Both the ensemble and the playing of the individual members are excellent and hard to surpass. The contrasts within these sonatas come off perfectly and there is a strong dynamic shading. This is a perfect example of rhetorical playing. The two trumpeters, Hans-Martin Rux-Brachtendorf and Astrid Brachtendorf, deserve a special mention." – MusicWeb International
"this is superb music, superbly played. Don't miss this recording, even if you already have a rival version!" – Early Music Review
Tracklisting
Xenia Loffler
Marcel Ponseele, Il Gardellino
Margret Koell; Stefan Temmingh
Dorothee Mields, Lautten Compagney
Florian Deuter; Monica Waisman; Harmonie Universelle
Aco Biscevic, Michael Hofstetter, Barockorchester der Thuringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach
Soloists; Les Traversees Baroques; Meyer
Luigi De Donato; Collegium 1704; Vaclav Luks
Florian Deuter; Monica Waisman; Harmonie Universelle
Florian Deuter, Mónica Waisman, Harmonie Universelle
