THE GARDEN OF THE ROSE

The Bohemian composer Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber flourished at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg in the late 17th century. Around 1676 he composed fifteen so-called Mystery or Rosary sonatas as musical meditations on the mysteries of the rosary. These survive in a single manuscript dedicated to the Archbishop and were probably performed in Salzburg Cathedral during October (the Rosary month).

The word 'rosary' derives from the Latin rosarium or 'rose garden' and in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam is a practice of reciting a series of prayers, using a string of beads to remember the order.

These striking instrumental sonatas are particularly interesting as none has a title but each one is preceded by an etching depicting one of the fifteen mysteries. The first sonata, The Annunciation is distinguished from all the others in that the violin is played in its normal tuning. All the other sonatas require scordatura (or 'mistuning' of the instrument!)

It was fashionable during the 17th and 18th centuries to have fanciful titles for musical collections. Amongst such titles are the ‘Wohgepflazter Lustgarten’ (the well-planted pleasure garden), the ‘Hortus Chelicus’(the garden of the lyre), and of course the name Fiori Musicali (originally a collection by Frescobaldi) means musical flowers. These rare musical collections provide the inspiration for a fascinating series of concerts, beginning in the tiny church at Edgcote, where charismatic German violinist Kerstin Linder-Dewan performs some of Biber's famous ‘Rosary sonatas’ – an oblique tribute to the rose. Other flowers appear too in this programme in the guise of music by the Scottish baroque composer James Oswald. And no garden would be complete without the birds, represented by recorder player and flautist Heidi Fardell.

Biber Rosary sonatas
Oswald The amaranthus, the gilliflower, the heart ease
Reinken Hortus Musicus sonata no.1 in A minor
Walther Serenata from Hortulus Chelicus
Kapsburger Passacaglia in G
Biber The Guardian Angel
Biber Christ on the Mount of Olives

Kerstin Linder-Dewan violin, Heidi Fardell recorder, Poppy Walshaw cello, Eligio Luis Quinteiro chitarrone, Penelope Rapson (director/chamber organ)