JSB Work and Play

I think somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision. - Eleanor Roosevelt

2006, October 21

New DeskTop Picture

DeskTop picture from AstroPic of the Day

Here is my latest DeskTop picture for the G5.

larger image

Download it

Computer • Permalink

2006, September 18

Biber Rosary Sonatas on CD

Recordings of the Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas.

Rosary Sonatas, Pavlo Beznosiuk
Pavlo Beznosiuk, violins
David Roblou, Harpsichord, chamber organ
Paula Chateauneuf, Theorbo, archlute
Richard Tunnicliffe, Viola da Gamba, Violone
Timothy West, Reader
Recorded 30 Nov to 4 Dec 2003, St Andrew's Church, Toddington, Gloucestershire
AVIE AV 0038 [2 CDs: 79.47 + 77.18]

Biber's Rosary Sonatas, Andrew Manze
Andrew Manze, violin
Richard Egarr, cembalo, organ
Allison Mcgillivray, Cello
Copyright: 2004
Harmonia Mundi HMU 907321.22 2 CDs

Biber's Rosary Sonatas, Walter Reiter, Cordaria
Walter Reiter, violin
Timothy Roberts, cembalo, organ
Elizabeth Kenny, Theorbo
Joanna Levine, Cello, Viola da gamba
Frances Kelly, Double harp
Mark Levy, Lirone
Kah-Ming Ng, Regal
Copyright: January 29, 2002, Signum UK 2 CDs

Biber's Rosary Sonatas, Reinhard Goebel
Reinhard Goebel, violin
Andreas Spering, harpsichord, organ
Konrad Junghänel, lute
Phoebe Carrai, Cello
Recorded: January, 1990
Signum UK 2 CDs

Of the four performances, the one by Andrew Manze is the most sparsely instrumented. It is close to solo violin performance, and the music has an edge I enjoy that the other recitals lack.

Walter Reiter, with Cordaria, is the most richly arranged, one might almost say orchestrated. The tempos are a bit slower, allowing the music its full voice. So far, this is my favorite.

Here are mp3 and QT files of the first few phrases from each of the recordings. These are large files so be patient.

Pavlo Beznosiuk QT file: 1.3 MB

Pavlo Beznosiuk mp3 file: 1.3 MB

Andrew Manze QT file: 1.6 MB

Andrew Manze mp3 file: 1.6 MB

Walter Reiter, Cordaria QT file: 1.7 MB

Walter Reiter, Cordaria mp3 file: 1.7 MB

Reinhard Goebel, Musica Antiqua Köln QT file: 1 MB

Reinhard Goebel, Musica Antiqua Köln mp3 file: 1 MB

This table compares the instrumentation of the performances.

Sonata	Beznosiuk	Manze	Reiter	Goebel	Violin Pitch
1 Annunciation	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Double Harp	Violin Organ Lute Cello	G D A E
2 Visitation	Violin Harpsichord Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Harpsichord Viola da Gamba	Violin Cembalo Cello	A E A E
3 Nativity	Violin Archlute Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Theorbo Double Harp	Violin Cembalo	B F# B D
4 Presentation in the Temple	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Organ Lute Cello	A D A C#
5 The Finding in the Temple	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Cembalo Cello	A E A C#
6 Agony in the Garden	Violin Chamber Organ Archlute	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo	Violin Organ Cello	Ab Eb G D
7 Scourging	Violin Viola da Gamba	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Cembalo Cello	C F A C
8 Crowning with Thorns	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Viola da Gamba	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Chamber Organ Regal Viola da Gamba	Violin Organ Cello	D F Bb D
9 Carrying of the Cross	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Lirone	Violin Organ Lute Cello	C E A E
10 Crucifixion	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Cello	Violin Organ Cello	G D A D
11 Resurrection	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Viola da Gamba	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Harpsichord Viola da Gamba	Violin Organ Cello	G D G D
12 Ascension	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Violone	Violin Harpsichord Cello	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Cello	Violin Cembalo Cello	C E G C
13 Descent of the Holy Ghost	Violin Theorbo	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Cello	Violin Organ Lute Cello	A E C# E
14 Assumption of Mary	Violin Harpsichord	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Harpsichord Theorbo Double Harp	Violin Organ Lute Cello	A E C D
15 Coronation of Mary	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Archlute Violone	Violin Baroque Organ	Violin Chamber Organ Theorbo Viola da Gamba Double Harp	Violin Cembalo Cello	G C G D
Guardian Angel Passacaglia	Violin	Violin	Violin	Violin	G D A E

Links: Reviews

Review of Biber recordings by W.A. Grieve-Smith

Review Beznosiuk by Jonathan Woolf

Review Beznosiuk by Peter Bright

Review Manze by American Amazon customers

Review Manze by British Amazon customers

Review Manze with other Biber sonatas

Review Reiter with Cordaria by Brian Clark and Gary Higginson

Music CD • Permalink

2006, September 17

Scordatura

Alternate tunings of stringed instruments

The standard (or Italian) tunings of the violin strings are G D A E. Other tunings are common in folk music and have a long history. Their use in "classical" music has been limited, however. Bach did employ an alternate tuning for the Fifth Cello Suite, changing the highest string from A to G. Standard pitches of the cello are C G D A; the altered tuning gives C G D G.

Altering the pitches of the strings makes it possible to play chords that would be difficult or impossible with the standard tuning, and chords were written into more string music in early times.

Links: Scordatura
Wikipedia.org definition of scordatura
Discussion and examples
Definition and example

Music • Permalink

2006, September 16

Some Baroque Instruments

Baroque instruments used in the Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas.

Lirone

Links: The keyboard and Lira da Gamba
Links to many early stringed instruments.
Links to many early keyboard instruments.
Wikipedia definition of the Regal, a portable organ.
Images of the Lirone (Lira da Gamba).

The theorbo is a bass lute, which has a neck that extends outward approximately four feet to accommodate the long, deep bass strings. The purpose of the theorbo is to reinforce the bass, whereas the function of the lirone is to enrich the harmonies. The composer Giulio Caccini said that the theorbo was the perfect instrument to accompany the voice.

Links: the Theorbo
A definition of the theorbo
Another definition of the theorbo
Discussion of the theorbo
More discussion of the theorbo
Illustrations of the theorbo
Idea of the size