Baroque Violin Sonatas

Description

Dagens Nyheter | Martin Nyström – July 2020

textura | Ron Schepper – July 2020
“Had one come to the recording unfamiliar with the artists involved, one would come away from it with not only a deep regard for them as musicians but also a strong appreciation for them as human beings.”

VAN Magazin | Alex Ketzer – June 2020
“I’ll be short – this is my winner.”

MusicWeb International | Dominy Clements – June 2020
“Performed with impeccable musicality and palpable commitment, this is a disc to treasure. If you are a fan of Biber and music of this period you owe it to yourself to acquire this excellent recording.”

Pizzicato | Uwe Krusch – May 2020
“The works are presented as a finely assembled collection with excellent, energetic performances that clearly show the harmonious cooperation of the three musicians.”

OpusKlassiek | Aart van der Wal – April 2020
“This special CD, filled with baroque repertoire that hardly gets a chance on recordings as well as on the concert stage, makes for a beautiful and fascinating release.”

Planet Hugill | Robert Hugill – April 2020
“If you don’t know much 17th century German violin music and perhaps the idea makes you quail, then think again. Try this engaging disc and explore some of the more amazing byways of German Baroque music in these wonderfully vivid performances.”

—

Sabine Erdmann may be a harpsichordist. But she’s also in love with her organ. So, she instantly caught fire when two friends suggested she should record a CD on it with music from the time of Heinrich Biber. There was no deeper concept, no precise plan. But with just two phone calls, Sabine had set up a trio of musicians from Berlin’s dynamic historically informed practise scene. Immediately, they began searching for rewarding and surprising repertoire.

Swedish theorbist Magnus Andersson dove deep into the archive of early music in Uppsala. Icelandic violinist Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir suggested the D minor sonata by Böddecker, one of the baroque’s long lost masterpieces. Quickly, they arrived at a fascinating and surprising body of work. Their selection wasn’t just inspired by a deep theoretical understanding – but mainly by their hands-on experiences as in-demand live performers.

The recording sessions provided plenty of opportunities for Erdmann’s chest organ to shine. The instrument, given to her as a loan, was designed according to her personal specifications by renowned organ builder Karl Friedrich Wieneke. In a smaller space, its warm tone fuses perfectly with a chambermusic ensemble. In a church, on the other hand, its raw power is capable of unleashing a veritable sonic storm.

It almost goes without saying that standard repertoire was off the table from the beginning. But so was recording obscure pieces for obscurity’s sake. In a way, the absence of a concept turned into the album’s true concept: This project was to be about the music – and nothing else.