Biber / Ars Antiqua Austria / Letzbor Rosenkranzsonaten CD

Eduard Melkus brought Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber's (1644-1704) Rosary Sonatas (Rosenkranzsonaten) to new life with his groundbreaking 1967 recording; in the six decades that have passed since then, the pieces, which are as virtuoso as they are meditative in mood, have conquered a firm place in the discographies of ambitious baroque violinists. The Austrian violinist Gunar Letzbor has been considered one of the leading interpreters of this famous cycle since he recorded his interpretation on album for the Arcana label in 1996. The success was overwhelming: the critics were enthusiastic and the recording is still today available in the label's catalogue. Letzbor gave countless concerts with sonatas from Biber's epochal work, earning himself a reputation as the Biber expert. In 2019, more than two decades later, richer in experience, in life and as an artist, Letzbor again dares to perform Biber's Rosary Sonatas. The new recording is not only more than 20 minutes longer than the 1996 recording, it also incorporates the latest research results, such as the "Salzburger Lautensatz", an instrumentation of the lute continuo typical of Biber's Salzburg days. In a detailed, highest readable booklet text Letzbor gives detailed information about his new approach.