The Rosary Sonatas by Biber: The Joyful Mysteries
The Musicians In Ordinary, as Ensemble-in-Residence at St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, continue their cycle of the entire Rosary Sonatas for violin and continuo by 17th century composer Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber. Baroque violinist Christopher Verrette performs the sonatas on three programs that also include 17th century solo motets. Rev. Lisa Wang gives a pre-concert talk at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets, $25, $20 for students and seniors, are available at the door. Further information is available by calling 416-535-9956 or visiting www.musiciansinordinary.ca.
The Joyful Mysteries features sonatas on The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Nativity, The Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple and Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Complementing the Biber sonatas are motets by Grandi, Rigatti and others.
Between the sonatas, soprano Hallie Fishel sings a 17th century motet on the appropriate theme (often a Baroque love song to a lady named Mary, albeit in Latin). Philip Fournier plays organ, John Edwards plays theorbo, with Patricia Ahern on second violin in the motets.