We are now in the fortunate
position, all these years after Edward
Melkus’s pioneering 1967 set, of having
a catholicity of responses to these
towering Sonatas. I’ve listened in the
past few months to complete recordings
by two leading British exponents, Pavlo
Beznosiuk (Avie) and Monica Huggett
(Gaudeamus), and now we have a third
to add in the shape of Baroque Communicator
Supreme Andrew Manze who is joined by
Richard Egarr.
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/May04/Biber_Rosary.htm
- Beznosiuk
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/Aug04/Biber_Rosary_G.htm
- Huggett Volume 1
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/Nov04/Biber351.htm
- Huggett Volume 2
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Jun02/Biber.htm
- Demeterova - Volume 1
The above links will
give some idea of the various approaches
to the Sonatas. Manze’s is different
again. In fact, ironically, he has something
more in common with the modern instrument
Demeterova than with his fellow baroque
violinists – or indeed with Melkus in
the 1960s. Manze’s note, illuminating
as ever, outlines the history of the
surviving manuscript and the issue of
course of scordatura. Tellingly he does
note that the Sonatas have often
fallen victim to the current trend in
early music practice of using a large
bass group. It is not unusual to hear
five musicians play what was probably
intended for two, arguably obscuring
the music’s raison d’être.
I seldom, if ever, quote extensively
from booklet notes but this seems to
me succinctly to encapsulate Manze’s
position and it’s one to which he adheres
faithfully.
His approach throughout
is deeply considered and reflective.
The performances stress the spiritual
engagement of the music as others may
stress its more earthy spirit or colour.
Thus he draws attention to the Amen
Cadence in the finale of The Annunciation
and to the flowing if relatively astringent
Sonata that opens The Nativity the
finale of which is sculpted with intensity
of phrasing. In The Presentation
of Jesus in the Temple we
hear Egarr’s discreet and impressive
organ playing whilst Manze moves into
attaca mode. He reserves greatest weight
of colour and inflection for The
Agony in the Garden where the play
of violin and staccato-limpid organ
is affecting, and nevertheless generates
a feeling of cumulative ambiguity.
Manze is strong on
contrastive episodes such as the very
slow Sarabande of The Scourging
and the very fast succeeding variations.
Manze is by and large significantly
slower than his contemporary rivals.
He takes greater time to phrase and
weights the music with a more significantly
intense depth. His Surrexit Christus
Hodie from The Resurrection
is strong but Huggett is, I think, stronger
still in its sense of exultation. And
whereas she and Beznosiuk tend to stretch
the concluding passacaglia elastically,
Manze prefers to employ a range of dynamic
shadings to create tension horizontally
rather than merely, or mostly, laterally.
So there’s much to ponder in these considered
and spare readings, which never lack
for imagination and virtuosity. Whichever
side of the divide one finds oneself
with regard to accompanying musicians,
there’s no doubt that these readings
are powerfully communicative. If pressed
however I’d opt for Huggett and for
her sense of drama and colour; they
seem to embody the depth and fantasy
of these works with remarkable intensity.
Jonathan Woolf
Andrew Manze (violin) 
