# by Biber



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704)
Battalia à 10
Requiem à15 in Concerto
La Capella Reial de Catalunya
Le Concert des Nations
Jordi Savall
AliaVox CD AV9825

The music form "Battalia" was on it's way out of style when Biber composed his. In the 16th C., in Spain at least, there were some pretty dramatic ones. The stomp of marching feet and de-fanged battle sounds were features. Biber's Battalia has some marching feet (in the Der Mars movement), but he pays considerably more attention to the dying and the dead than some of his predecessors in the form did, in the last three movements.

The Requiem à 15 in Concerto (chorus with solo parts as well as instruments) is dramatic music, but it owes much of its effect here to being performed in Salzburg Cathedral. The decay of echoes is long, and Savall times the pauses beautifully to allow for it. A beautiful recording.

The CD is listed at amazon.com, as is an mp3 download. The customer revues there are favorable.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I've played the Battalia. It was the most fun I've had when performing in a chamber string ensemble thingy.


----------

