Mayumi Hirasaki Phenomenally Rubs Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber’s Rosary Sonatas ★★★★★

The Rosary– or Mystery Sonatas by the Austrian Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704) fill together the most stunning violin pages from the 17th century. In previously unknown sounds, Biber bears witness to burning Catholic devotion for over two hours. Fueled by fifteen mysteries of faith surrounding Mary and Jesus, he wrote just as many sonatas, with an ingenious work of variation at the end.

350 years later he still brings you to your knees. Especially when the music flows from the violins of Mayumi Hirasaki. The Japanese who sailed to Germany needed no fewer than seven, because Biber is clever. Only for the first sonata, The Annunciation, he tunes the violin strings standard (g-d’-a’-e”). Then the juggling begins. For each sonata, Biber has one or more strings tuned higher or lower. In this way he opens a shadow world of sonorities in which every mystery of faith is given its own atmosphere, from freudenreich (joyfully) to schmerzhaft (grievous).

How Biber executed his piece of art at the time remains a mystery. Perhaps he played the sonatas privately with a small group of musicians for his employer, the Archbishop of Salzburg, who perhaps passed the beads of a rosary through his fingers in prayer. Or a group went in a ‘rosary procession’ past fifteen paintings depicting scenes such as the crucifixion and resurrection.

Mayumi Hirasaki, member of the Baroque orchestra Concerto Köln, polishes up Biber’s finds phenomenally. The temptation can be hidden in a timbre: listen to the pallid opening of sonata six, about Christ’s lonely prayer on the Mount of Olives. Or take your breath away at a bizarre effect: in sonata seven, the Savior is flogged with strings rubbing against each other.

Hirasaki keeps it intimate, accompanied by varying combinations of viola da gamba, violone, lute, harpsichord and organ. Finally, she juggles on her own on a theme of four notes in the guardian angel, the point behind a feast of strings, devotion and mystery.