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Violin - the voice and soul of the baroque
The birth of the most perfect instrument
In the mid 16th century, when Brescian craftsmen were creating the first violins, the beauty of the
instrument was as important as its voice and because of this its form has naturally come to be compared
with the shape of a woman!
From humble beginnings...
Not that this instrument was intended for the upper classes. Noblemen played genteel instruments
like the lute or the viola da gamba and only lesser mortals who had to earn their living
(professionals) played the violin, and then mostly only to accompany dancing, weddings, feast
days or parties.
The instrumental queen of the baroque arose
Like any woman, the beauty and expressive potential of the violin grew with time and within 150 years
had become an integral part of any court or church musical establishment. No longer was it cinderella-
like, accompanying dance and song, but an instrumental queen with her own court of composers.
Programme
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber
b Bohemia, 1644; d Salzburg, 1704 |
Biber was one of the most distinguished violinists of his time, and his music
reflects his dazzling technique and innovative musical ideas. He did what
almost none of his colleagues could - he managed
to earn respect from the emperor (he was given a gold chain - the highest honour)
so that his rank was raised from that of a mere servant, to a nobleman. |
Passacaglia |
12 |
Johann Sebastian Bach
b Eisenach, 1685; d Leipzig, 1750 |
Johann Sebastian Bach was a great genius, who came near the end of the baroque
period from a long line of distinguished musicians. In his lifetime, he sensed the
ending of an era, and aimed to present every type of baroque style in his works. His
collection for solo violin - the 6 sonatas and Partitas - still form the core repertory
of any prefessional violinist today. |
Sonata no. 1 in g minor for solo violin (1720) |
15 |
Georg Philipp Telemann
b Magdeburg, 1681; d Hamburg, 1767
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Telemann's style of music is generally simpler yet extremely appealing. Telemann
enjoyed great fame during his lifetime (more so than Bach), and also strove for the
rights of musicians, and the rights of the general public to hear good music. |
Fantasia VII in Eflat |
10 |
St. Peters Church
St. Peters St.
St. Albans city center
1pm
Wednesday, 29th September 2004
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