Heinrich Biber

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (correctly Biber von Bibern; bapt. 12 August 1644 – 3 May 1704) was a Czech-Austrian composer and violinist of the middle Baroque era. Biber worked in Graz and Kroměříž before he illegally left his employer, Prince-Bishop Karl Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn, and settled in Salzburg. Among other pieces, Biber wrote operas, sacred music and music for chamber ensemble. He also wrote one of the earliest known pieces for solo violin, the monumental passacaglia of the Mystery Sonatas.

During Biber's lifetime, his music was known and imitated throughout Europe. In the late 18th century he was named the best violin composer of the 17th century by music historian Charles Burney. In the late 20th century Biber's music, especially the Mystery Sonatas, enjoyed a renaissance. Today, it is widely performed and recorded. Biber never reached Stainer, however, and instead entered the employ of the Archbishop of Salzburg, Maximilian Gandolph von Kuenburg.

The composer was married on 30 May 1672 at the bishop's summer residence, Hellbrunn Palace, just outside Salzburg. His wife Maria Weiss was a daughter of a Salzburg merchant, citizen and tradesman, Peter Weiss. Together they had 11 children, four of whom survived to adulthood. He then received his Coat of arms.

Biber died in Salzburg on 3 May 1704. His grave is located in the Petersfriedhof.

The second work in which Biber explored scordatura techniques is Harmonia artificioso-ariosa (1696), his last known published collection of instrumental music. It contains seven partitas for two instruments and basso continuo: five for two violins, one for two violas d'amore, and one for violin and viola. Six of the partitas require scordatura tunings, including those for viola and two violas d'amore; Biber uses the full potential of the technique, including all possibilities for complex polyphony: some of the pieces are in five parts, with both of the melodic instruments carrying two. No other chamber works by Biber use such devices, and the only other pieces to use scordatura are two of the sonatas included in Sonatae violino solo of 1681. That collection comprises eight sonatas for violin and basso continuo, all noted already by Charles Burney in the late 18th century, for the brilliant virtuosic passages and elaborate structures. In contrast to both Mystery Sonatas and Harmonia, these works consist mostly of pieces in free forms (prelude, aria) or variations, rather than dances.

Biber's other published collections of instrumental music are Sonatae tam aris quam aulis servientes (1676), Mensa sonora (1680), and Fidicinium sacro profanum (1682/3). Sonatae tam aris contains sonatas in five, six or eight parts; some of them only use string instruments, some include one or two trumpets. Mensa sonora is a set of six partitas for one or two violins, viola, cello, and basso continuo, and Fidicinium sacro profanum comprises twelve sonatas for one or two violins, two violas, and continuo. Finally, manuscript sources include numerous other pieces: fantasias, balletti, sonatas, etc. Among these are the Battalia, a programmatic "battle" piece which anticipates such latter-day techniques as polytonality and col legno playing, and the Sonata representativa, another typical 17th-century piece similar to works by Walther and Farina, which imitates various birds and animals. headerstyle=background:#ccccff content =

C. 1 – Missa Alleluja à 36 C. 2 – Missa catholica C. 3 – Missa Christi resurgentis C. 4 – Missa ex B C. 5 – Missa quadragemisalis C. 6 – Missa Sancti Henrici C. 7 – Requiem à 15 in Concerto C. 8 – Requiem ex F con terza minore C. 9 – Laetatus sum C. 10 – Nisi Dominus ædificaverit domum Vesperae à 32 C. 11 – Dixit Dominus C. 12 – Magnificat Vesperae longiores ac breviores una cum litaniis Lauretanis (1693) C. 13 – Dixit Dominus C. 14 – Confitebor C. 15 – Beatus vir C. 16 – Laudate pueri, Dominum C. 17 – Laudate Dominum C. 18 – Magnificat C. 19 – Dixit Dominus C. 20 – Laudate pueri, Dominum C. 21 – Laetatus sum C. 22 – Nisi Dominus C. 23 – Lauda Jerusalem C. 24 – Magnificat C. 25 – Dixit Dominus C. 26 – Confitebor C. 27 – Beatus vir C. 28 – Laudate pueri, Dominum C. 29 – Laudate Dominum C. 30 – Laudate pueri, Dominum C. 31 – Laetatus sum C. 32 – Nisi Dominus C. 33 – Lauda Jerusalem C. 34 – Magnificat C. 35 – Credidi C. 36 – In convertendo C. 37 – Domine probasti me C. 38 – De profundis C. 39 – Memento C. 40 – Beati omnes C. 41 – In exitu Israel C. 42 – Litaniae Lauretanae C. 43 – In Festo Trium Regium, Muttetum Natale C. 44 – Litaniæ de Sancto Josepho C. 45 – Lux perpetua C. 46 – Huc poenitentes C. 47 – Ne cedite C. 48 – Quo abiit dilectus tuus (Offertorium in Festo 7 dolorum) C. 49 – Salve regina C. 50 – Stabat mater C. 51 – Arminio, chi la dura la vince. Dramma musicale in three acts C. 52 – Arien à 4 C. 53 – Arien à 4, for violin, 2 violas & continuo in A major C. 54 – Ballettæ à 4 C. 55 – Ballettæ à 4 Violettae C. 56 – Balletti à 4, for violin, 2 violas & continuo in G major C. 57 – Balletti à 6 C. 58 – Baletti C. 59 – Balletti lamentabili à 4 C. 60 – Balletto C. 61 – Battalia à 10, for 3 violins, 4 violas, 2 violone, and continuo,(1673) Harmonia artificioso-ariosa: diversi mode accordata (7 partitas for 1 or 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 violas d'amore, and continuo in various combinations) (1696) C. 62 – Partita, No. 1 in D minor C. 63 – Partita, No. 2 in B minor C. 64 – Partita, No. 3 in A major C. 65 – Partita, No. 4 in E flat major C. 66 – Partita, No. 5 in G minor C. 67 – Partita, No. 6 in D major C. 68 – Partita, No. 7 in C minor "Mensa Sonora seu Musica Instrumentalis" (6 suites for violin, two violas, and continuo) (1680) C. 69 – Pars, No. 1 in D major C. 70 – Pars, No. 2 in F major C. 71 – Pars, No. 3 in A minor C. 72 – Pars, No. 4 in B flat major C. 73 – Pars, No. 5 in E major C. 74 – Pars, No. 6 in G minor C. 75 – Serenada à 5 'Der Nachtwächter' C. 76 – Trombet undt Musicalischer Taffeldienst à 4 C. 77 – Fantasia, for violin & continuo in D major Fidicinium sacro-profanum (12 sonatas for 1 or 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo) (1683) C. 78 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 1 in B minor C. 79 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 2 in F major C. 80 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 3 in D minor C. 81 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 4 in G minor C. 82 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 5 in C major C. 83 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 6 in A minor C. 84 – Sonata, for violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 7 in D major C. 85 – Sonata, for violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 8 in B flat major C. 86 – Sonata, for violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 9 in G major C. 87 – Sonata, for violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 10 in E major C. 88 – Sonata, for violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 11 in C minor C. 89 – Sonata, for violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 12 in A major Rosary Sonatas (for violin in scordatura and continuo and a passacaglia for violin solo) (also known as Mystery Sonatas and Copper-Engraving Sonatas) (1676) C. 90 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 1 in D minor, (The Annunciation) C. 91 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 2 in A major, (The Visitation) C. 92 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 3 in B minor, (The Nativity) C. 93 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 4 in D minor, (The Presentation) C. 94 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 5 in A major, (The Finding in the Temple) C. 95 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 6 in C minor, (The Agony in the Garden) C. 96 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 7 in F major, (The Scourging of Jesus) C. 97 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 8 in B flat major, (The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns) C. 98 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 9 in A minor, (The Carrying of the Cross) C. 99 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 10 in G minor, (The Crucifixion) C. 100 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 11 in G major,(The Resurrection) C. 101 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 12 in C major, (The Ascension) C. 102 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 13 in D minor, (The Descent of the Holy Ghost) C. 103 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 14 in D major, (The Assumption of our Lady) C. 104 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 15 in C major, (The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary) C. 105 – Passacaglia, for violin solo in G minor C. 106 – Pastorella, sonata for violin & continuo in A major C. 107 – Sonata, for violin & continuo in C minor C. 108 – Sonata, for violin & continuo in E major C. 109 – Sonata à 6 C. 110 – Sonata à 6 "Die pauern kirchfartt genandt", for 3 violins, 2 violas & continuo in B-flat major C. 111 – Sonata à 7, 6 Tromb, Tramburin con Organo Ao. 1668 C. 112 – Sonata 'pro tabula' à 10 for 5 recorders, 2 violins, 3 violas & continuo in C major C. 113 – Sonata Sancti Polycarpi à 9 Sonatae tam aris quam aulis servientes (12 sonatas for 5–8 instruments [trumpets, strings, and continuo] in various combinations) (1676) C. 114 – Sonata, for 2 trumpets, 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 1 in C major C. 115 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 3 violas & continuo No. 2 in D major C. 116 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 3 violas & continuo No. 3 in G minor C. 117 – Sonata, for trumpet, violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 4 in C major C. 118 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 3 violas & continuo No. 5 in E minor C. 119 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 6 in F major C. 120 – Sonata, for 2 trumpets, 2 violins & continuo No. 7 in C major C. 121 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 8 in G major C. 122 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 9 in B flat major C. 123 – Sonata, for trumpet, violin, 2 violas & continuo No. 10 in G minor C. 124 – Sonata, for 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 11 in A major C. 125 – Sonata, for 2 trumpets, 2 violins, 2 violas & continuo No. 12 in C major C. 126 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 1 in C major C. 127 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 2 in C major C. 128 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 3 in C major C. 129 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 4 in C major C. 130 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 5 in C major C. 131 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 6 in C major C. 132 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 7 in C major C. 133 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 8 in C major C. 134 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 9 in C major C. 135 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 10 in C major C. 136 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 11 in G minor C. 137 – Fanfare, for 2 trumpets No. 12 in G minor Sonatae violino solo (8 sonatas for violin and continuo) (1681) C. 138 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 1 in A major C. 139 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 2 in D minor C. 140 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 3 in F major C. 141 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 4 in D major C. 142 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 5 in E minor C. 143 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 6 in C minor C. 144 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 7 in G minor C. 145 – Sonata, for violin & continuo No. 8 in G major C. 146 – Sonata violino solo representativa (Representatio Avium), for violin & continuo in A major, 1669? C. 147 – Sonata, for solo violin in A major C. App. 100 – Missa Bruxellensis C. App. 101 – Missa Salisburgensis C. App. 106 – Hymnus "Plaudite Tympana" C. App. 111 – Harmonia Romana C. App. 117 – Sonata à 3 "AB" C. App. 118 – Sonata à 3 ("AB") C. App. 119 – Sonata à 4 ("H.B.") C. App. 121 – Sonata Jucunda, for 2 violins, 3 violas & continuo in D major

Lost vocal works Applausi festivi di Giove (cantata) (1687) Li trofei della fede cattolica (cantata) (1687) C. App. 20 – Alessandro in Pietra (opera) (1689) C. App. 31 – Trattenimento musicale del'ossequio di Salisburgo (cantata) (1699)

Questionable attribution Sonata à 3 (for 2 violins and trombone) (Questionable attribution to Biber's early career as a novice composer) The theory that Biber wrote this suggests Antonio Bertali as a teacher. Bertali wrote a number of similar sonatas for exactly the same scoring. This sonata could possibly be attributed to Bertali except that the violin passages are sometimes more fanciful than any other in Bertali's works.