Biber's Mystery Sonatas

Biber's Mystery Sonatas encompass the breadth and scale (over two hours in duration) of drama that can be seen to equal that of a Passion. The fact that this is instrumental music, music without words, has encouraged performers and critics to delve into the complex web of hermeneutic symbolism that seems to permeate the entire work. Indeed, there is something evocative and provocative about this music, which might not have had the same intensity of expression had the work employed words. Words are, however, used to preface each sonata as titles indicating the 15 'Mysteries' experienced by the Virgin Mary. The 16 sonatas are grouped into three sets of five plus a concluding passacaglia: the first set, 'The Joyful Mysteries', takes us from the Annunciation to Finding Jesus in the Temple; the second, 'The Sorrowful Mysteries', from the Agony in the Garden to the Crucifixion; and the third, 'The Glorious Mysteries', from the Resurrection to the Coronation of Mary. The titles set the tone for the music that follows them, and indicate a likely use of rhetorical devices, albeit without the sung words that usually anchor the narrative and the representational expression of a work of this kind.

The latest recordings of Biber: Mystery Sonatas by two violinists, Walter Reiter with Cordaria (Signum Records SIGCD021, rec 2001) and Alice Piérot with Les Veilleurs de Nuit (Alpha 038, rec 2002/3), brought my attention to the issue of representational expression in performance-as a form of expression distinct from that of representation in composition. These two artists articulate the drama in their own expressive 'language' and tackle the issue of representation. But in doing so they are also involved in something more real and concrete: an engagement with the issue of the reproduction (as opposed to representation) of rhetorical ideas in performance, a search for individual, practicable means through which to realize ideas in sound.

Walter Reiter's performance shows his intense involvement with the music. His own emotional and psychological response to the sonatas finds a deeply felt expression that evokes an almost tactile reality. Every passage is beautifully nuanced and he particularly excels in slow movements, where he brings out many different shades of pathos by the subtle control of tone colour. In these slow movements the intensity of the Affekt is highlighted, and he generally prefers slower tempos to realize it with delicate nuances.

A foreknowledge of the work's eventual narrative outcome seems to lead Reiter through a thoughtful path right from the start. His interpretation of the first part, 'The Joyful Mysteries', is not of a jubilant, lively kind, but expresses a measured, serious kind of joyfulness. Some of the faster movements, or fast dance movements, retain a similar level of seriousness, which some listeners may find a little too heavy. However, the slow movements, such as the Adagio from Sonata no.3, and the Ciacona which follows it as Sonata no.4, present a depth of feelings and passion which broadens the darker side of the palette and gives a balanced range of contrast as a whole. His performance of Sonata no.4, in particular, excels in this respect: he transforms the technical nature of the formal composition into a linearly expressive and powerful drama.

The psychological tension of the second part is well represented in the handling of scordatura and the resulting discomfort, which Reiter lets speak without smoothing things out. This intensity of expression is very much communicated in his playing as soloist, and the ensemble often takes on a more accompanimental role. But then the virtuosity and passion revealed by the solo violin in Sonata no.10 ('The Crucifixion') are commanding, and the resulting focus on the solo violin, more prominent in this part of the piece than anywhere else, may well be part of the symbolic scheme of expression.

The third part returns to the contemplative mood of the first part, but with much more warmth than before. The gypsy-like rhapsodic playing from Reiter in Sonata no.13 ('The Descent of the Holy Spirit') explores a range of timbres with an earthly charm. This is followed by the radiant warmth of no.14 ('The Assumption of Mary'). The third part of the piece thus makes one feel as though the temperature is finally rising to warm the music, and Reiter's insight over such structural level of nuances is impressive.

Although Cordaria's understanding of, and sensitivity towards, Reiter's artistic vision is flawless, the performance is very much led by Reiter himself, and his passionate devotion to the music are best captured in the final Passacaglia. Again, the underlying tone is as subdued as it was at the beginning; but the feelings are much more direct, and have a cathartic power the work reaches its conclusion.

In contrast to Reiter's recording, Alice Piérot's performance of the same work presents an interpretation that is full of lightness and colour. There is considerable emphasis on the realization of the continuo part, and the performance can be equally enjoyed as excellent chamber music. The recording uses a claviorgan (a two-in-one instrument combining an organ and a harpsichord). Whether or not it is due to the presence of this instrument, however, the performance brings to our attention the distinction between the plucked and sustained sounds. Piérot and Les Veilleurs de Nuit employ the acoustic characteristics of these sound types to strikingly aesthetic effect. Sonata no.1 demonstrates this particularly well, and the blend of the plucked sounds (harpsichord and theorbo) here provides an effective counterpart to the solo violin. In Sonata no.3 the viola da gamba plays a substantial role in the articulation of the structural and harmonic outline, creating (in equal measure with the violin) a sense of intimacy through its mellow sound.

The ensemble's imaginative combination of colour continues in the second and third parts. The opening of the second features sustained doubling between organ and gamba, introducing a 'colour scheme' for this dark-hued second part, with a strong contrast to the opening of the first part (which was marked by the abundance of plucked sound). At the opening of Sonata no.9 ('Jesus carries the Cross'), the use of sustained instruments creates a choir-like unanimity of sound. The sustained sound is prominently featured in the second part of the work: this section's concluding sonata, no.10 ('The Crucifixion'), begins with an austere organ sonority, as though representing the suffering of Christ by a certain sonic viscosity (an inherent feature of sustained sound). The third part sees the return of a much lighter sound-world, with more plucked-sound instruments brought to the foreground. The harpsichord and theorbo create a luminous atmosphere in Sonata no.14 ('The Assumption of Mary'). The third part ends with a beautiful realization of a classical rhetoric trope: the reversal of tessitura between the violin and organ in the Finale of Sonata no.15 is achieved with a striking evocativeness-a credit also to the sound engineering team who have not shied away from superimposing the piercing tones of the organ in its high register over the violin's gentle melodic line.

Alice Piérot's musical sensitivity is thus very much reflected in the ability to inspire her musicians to create this variety of ensemble timbres. There is a gentle, luminous and warm quality to her own sound, and her playing demonstrates the lightness and mental agility necessary for her part as the solo violinist, while being totally integrated in the ensemble texture-her performance of Sonata no.13 is a good example of this. Although some listeners may still find her playing wanting in temperamental flamboyance with which Biber is often associated, her Passacaglia shows a cunning side to her soloistic temperament: a flexible tempo allows both sound and music to breathe at their own pace. This gives the performance an immediate, extemporized feel, and the resulting liveliness is just as compelling as any virtuosity.