This program has been highly appreciated by juries and audiences since Asuka Sumi performed and received the prize in H.I.F.Biber Competition 2013 for the advancement of Austrian music.
—Austrian influence in 17th century Italian Violin Music. —
The wind never blows only in one way…
The violin was born in Italy in the late 16th century, and it evolved to become one of the most fascinating solo instrument from its early history. At the beginning of the 17th century, many Italian violinists (who of course composed by themselves) started cultivation of the technique, method and musical style of this unlimited instrument, so Italy was the “Mother of the Violin,” indeed. In the second half of the 17th century, the situation changed: While violin technique was rapidly and richly developing in Austria/Germany under Italian influences, its mother country kept to a taste of more simple beauty and sing-able melody over complex technique.
This stylistic preference has led some people into believing that Italian violinist ‘did not’ have as excellent technique as those of Austria/Germany, a situation prevailing until the landmark violin sonatas by Corelli (his Opus 5) came out on 1700 in Rome.
Here we introduce 17th century violin music by the composers from both sides of Alps, Transalpine and Cisalpine, which reveal the history of violin Virtuosity in 17th century.
The ‘key person’ will be Carlo Ambrogio Lonati, Roman violinist and composer, forgotten nowadays, who was the concertmaster for Queen Christina before young Corelli’s sensational arrival in Rome. He published twelve sets of Sonata a year after this young colleague’s successful op.5. However, since he dedicated this sonata set to the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I of Habsburg, it shows more influence of Austrian violin music than that of Corelli, such as use of scordatura, favor of dance, its variatio and demanding technique on violin part.
This program must show the development of 17th violin music till Corelli’s violin sonata op.5 which came on the very end of the century and opened the door to the new voyage.
Here we propose 3 programs with same concept but different durations.
Music
F.Rognoni/Palestrina Diminution on io son ferito, ahi lasso
H.Schmelzer Sonata no.2 in F major from Sonatae Unarum Fidium
B.Marini Capriccio per sonare il violino con tre corde a mode di Lira op.8
H.I.F.Biber Sonata VI in c minor from Sonatae a Violino solo
C.A.Lonati Sonata for Violino & Basso no.9 in c minor
J.J.Froberger Allemand from Bauyn manuscript (arr. by Panos Iliopoulos)
J.J.Walther Sonata no. 11 “galli e galline” from Hortus Chelicus
A.Corelli Sonata no.5 in g minor from Sonate violino e violone o cimbalo op.5
Fons Harmonicus 