Composer

:

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Sonata

Compose Date

:

1676

Publication Date

:

1676

Average_duration

:

65:05

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber's 'Sonatae, tam Aris, quam Aulis servientes (12)', also known as the 'Sonatae tam Aris quam Aulis servientes', is a collection of twelve sonatas for various instruments. The collection was composed in 1676 and premiered in Salzburg, Austria. The twelve sonatas are divided into two groups of six, with each group being dedicated to a different patron. The first six sonatas are dedicated to Ferdinand Tobias Richter, the Bishop of Olomouc, and the second six are dedicated to Maximilian Gandolph, the Archbishop of Salzburg. Each sonata in the collection is unique in its instrumentation, with some featuring solo instruments such as the violin, trumpet, or bassoon, while others feature multiple instruments such as the violin, viola, and continuo. The sonatas are also varied in their structure, with some following the traditional four-movement sonata form and others featuring only three movements. One of the most notable characteristics of the 'Sonatae tam Aris quam Aulis servientes' is Biber's use of scordatura tuning, a technique in which the strings of an instrument are tuned to a different pitch than their standard tuning. Biber uses scordatura tuning in several of the sonatas, including Sonata No. 5 for violin and continuo, which is tuned in a way that allows the violinist to play chords and double stops more easily. Overall, the 'Sonatae tam Aris quam Aulis servientes' is a significant contribution to the Baroque sonata repertoire, showcasing Biber's skill as a composer and his innovative use of instrumentation and tuning techniques.

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