Ars Antiqua Austria, the ensemble on this recording, has been expanding the standard continuo line-up for many years, exploring new instruments and performance practices.
Recording & Production
The recording was made in the Altomontesaal at Stift St. Florian, Austria, between December 16-19, 2021.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Baroque composers often used a repeated bass motif with an improvisational melody to create masterpieces, allowing for drama and variety within a rigid form.
Compositional Technique
Johann Joseph Vilsmayr's sonata on this album uses an unusual scordatura (mistuning of strings) that gives the violin a powerful, earthy character and a trumpet-like quality to certain notes.
Instruments
The colascione, a string instrument, was popular in the Vienna Hofkapelle's opera orchestra and is being used experimentally by Ars Antiqua Austria to expand continuo options.
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