Biber Rosary Sonatas

[ardcarp]

Rachel Podger played six of these in the R3 lunchtime concert today with harpsichord/organ and theorbo continuo. Absolutely fantastic playing. She talked a bit about the scordatura tunings, and had three other violins pre-tuned at the ready. What I had not realised was that in Sonata 11 (the Resurrection) the two middle strings of the violin are swapped over, but after the nut are led to their original tuning pegs thus creating the pattern of a cross, which is clearly symbolic. (The tuning, bottom to top, is GGDD...very unusual.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06rwh78

She ended with the (unaccompanied) Pasacaglia, which, for me, was the most beautiful of all (though not one of the Rosary set).

[Padraig]

I don't have these in CD form. I would be happy with what I heard today. Should I ask Santa for Rachel Podger?

[MickyD]

The Rosary Sonatas have been very lucky on CD - there's a good selection of versions from some superb players. I have the Andrew Manze set, but have often been tempted to acquire some others.

[teamsaint]

I don't have these in CD form. I would be happy with what I heard today. Should I ask Santa for Rachel Podger?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Biber-Rosary-Sonatas-Rachel-Podger/dp/B0135GT9VQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450122764&sr=8-1&keywords=podger+biber

[BBMmk2]

I think I have Andrew Manze playing them. Very good works these.

[Bryn]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Biber-Rosary...s=podger+biber

Without a doubt, yes. A very fine issue, to my ears. got it a few months back.

[doversoul1]

I very much enjoyed it. Wouldn’t this make a great Late Night Prom?

performance was on R3 sometime ago. It may have been on Through the Night (then, it would have been a concert) . It was excellent, too.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Coviello/COV21008

Daniel Sepec (violins) Hille Perl (viola da gamba), Lee Santana (archlute, theorbe) & Michael Behringer (organ, harpsichord)

[LeMartinPecheur]

Delighted to tell you all that eye wuz there!

One thing that you presumably won't have seen on the radio - after she'd played the first sonata she went to the table with the other 3 violins on, and made as if to do Eeny, meeny, miney, mo with them (Could have led to some even more interesting tunings)

[ardcarp]

If things come over with eclat and elan on the radio, it is usually the case that it was even more brio 'in the flesh'. Was that your experience, Kingfisher?

[oddoneout]

I was fortunate enough to attend a Rachel Podger concert few years ago and the phrase, well worn though it is, which best summed her up for me was 'infectious enthusiasm'. She delights in the music and her music-making, and wants others to share that delight.
One slight niggle from the broadcast which I suspect was not so much of a problem for the venue audience was the pronounced sniff or possibly hiss between the teeth from one of the trio. There are times when small forces + close microphone = unwanted sounds coming over the airwaves.
Does anyone know of any visual references for the crossed strings? I would be interested to see what it looks like.
Back in the day when I was still playing viola I did on occasion have to do the tuned down string mental shift; the planned occasions were usually OK given enough practice, the surprise ones due to peg slippage were not so good...

[doversoul1]

Does anyone know of any visual references for the crossed strings? I would be interested to see what it looks like.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=crossed+strings,+violin&biw=1046&bih=906&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwizy5Hfl97JAhXBXR4KHY2xAXsQsAQIUw#imgdii=pmmJHrkSV1XAMM%3A%3BpmmJHrkSV1XAMM%3A%3BIjxGmJZ5gUJynM%3A&imgrc=pmmJHrkSV1XAMM%3A

[Padraig]

Should I ask Santa for Rachel Podger?

Did.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cr...JHrkSV1XAMM%3A

[LeMartinPecheur]

If things come over with eclat and elan on the radio, it is usually the case that it was even more brio 'in the flesh'. Was that your experience, Kingfisher?

ardcarp: it was absolutely wonderful being there! Can't say whether it was any better live than on R3, though personally I would always prefer the live event.

But then I always watch as well as listen. Would it make less of a difference for the many who listen with their eyes shut?

[I could also add that I was never once tempted to fall asleep during the Biber! This may sound like damnation by very faint praise, but as on the previous day, 11AM to c10.30PM, I'd been to three concerts of Shostakovich at the Barbican, I hope you can see that it isn't! The Shoster from Alexander Melnikov and the Cuarteto Casals was also mind-blowing, but in a completely different way. Miserable old b*gg*er our Shoster, as so many of the snapshots of him on display all too clearly indicated. But of course he had every excuse]

[LeMartinPecheur]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cr...JHrkSV1XAMM%3A

ds and fhg: I believe Rachel Podger told us very clearly that the cross appears above the nut rather than below the bridge as in ds's picture, because the swapped-over central strings go to their 'proper' tuning pegs.

Not that I know the first thing about violin-wiring...