Canon
Where to start with Biber
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
ChamberBattalia in D major, C.61 — For 3 violins, 4 violas, 2 violins and keyboard
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VocalLaetatus Sum à7, for 2 solo voices, violin, 3 violas, and continuo, C.9
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Chamber16 Rosenkranz-Sonaten, C. 90-105, "Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas"
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ChamberFidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89
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ChamberSonates du Rosaire, for violin: Crucifixion
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Chamber12 Trumpet Duets, C.126-137
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ChamberArien a4, suite for violin, 2 violas and continuo in A major, C.53
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ChamberBalletae à 4 Violette
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ChamberBalleti in B minor
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ChamberBalleti in G minor
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ChamberBalletti Lamentabili a4, suite for violin, 2 violas and continuo in E minor, C.59
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ChamberBalletti à 6, suite for 2 trumpets, violin, 2 violas and continuo in C major, C. 57
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ChamberFantasia, for violin and continuo in D major, C.77
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ChamberHarmonia Artificiosa-Ariosa, 7 partitas for violin, viola, 2 viola d'amore, continuo, C.62-68
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ChamberHarmonia Romana
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Biber's catalogueMost Popular
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Rosary Sonatas (Mystery Sonatas)violin + continuo — 15 sonatas each depicting a Rosary mystery
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Passacaglia in G minor for solo violin
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Battalia (orchestra)
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Missa Salisburgensis
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Sonata violino solo representativa
Most Acclaimed
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Rosary Sonatas (complete)
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Harmonia Artificioso-Ariosa
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Missa Christi Resurgentis
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Battalia
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Violin Sonata in A major from Sonatae tam aris
Most Weird
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Rosary Sonataseach sonata requires a different scordatura (retuned strings) — the performer retunes between movements; the music exploits each weird tuning completely
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Battaliacol legno battle music — bow wood on strings; includes 8 different folk tunes played simultaneously
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Sonata representativaimitates cuckoo, nightingale, frog, hen, quail — extended violin technique in 1669
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Passacaglia in G minorfor solo unaccompanied violin — one of the first great works in this form; predates Bach’s Chaconne
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Missa Salisburgensis53 voices in multiple choirs — the largest sacred work of the Baroque era
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 69
- Chamber
- ● Battalia in D major, C.61 — For 3 violins, 4 violas, 2 violins and keyboard
- 16 Rosenkranz-Sonaten, C. 90-105, "Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas"
- Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, 12 sonatas for violin, 2 violas, and continuo, C.78-89
- Sonates du Rosaire, for violin: Crucifixion
- 12 Trumpet Duets, C.126-137
- Arien a4, suite for violin, 2 violas and continuo in A major, C.53
- Balletae à 4 Violette
- Balleti in B minor
- Balleti in G minor
- Balletti Lamentabili a4, suite for violin, 2 violas and continuo in E minor, C.59
- Balletti à 6, suite for 2 trumpets, violin, 2 violas and continuo in C major, C. 57
- Fantasia, for violin and continuo in D major, C.77
- Harmonia Artificiosa-Ariosa, 7 partitas for violin, viola, 2 viola d'amore, continuo, C.62-68
- Harmonia Romana
- Mensa Sonora seu Musica Instrumentalis, suites for violin, 2 violas and continuo, C.69-74
- Passacaglia in G minor, for solo violin
- Serenada a5 in C, "Der Nachtwächter"
- Serenada à 5, for 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in C, C.75, "Nightwatchman's Call"
- Sonata Sancto Polycarpi a9, for 8 trumpets, kettledrums and continuo in C major, C.113
- Sonata a3, for 2 violins, trombone and continuo in D minor, C. App117
- Sonata a6 in G, "Campanarum, vulgo Glockeriana"
- Sonata a6, for trumpet, 2 violins, 2 violas and continuo in C major, C.109
- Sonata a7, for 6 trumpets, kettledrums and continuo in C major, C.111
- Sonata a8 for 2 trumpets, 2 violins, 3 violas and basso continuo
- Sonata for Solo Violin in A major, C.147
- Sonata in A, "La Pastorella"
- Sonata jucunda a6 in D
- Sonata no. 11 in C minor, for violin, 2 violas and continuo, C.88
- Sonata no. 8 in B flat major, for violin, 2 violas and continuo, C.85
- Sonata pro Tabula à 10, for 5 recorders, 2 violins, 3 violas and continuo in C major, C.112
- Sonata tam Aris à 5, for 2 trumpets, 2 violins, and continuo in G, C.120
- Sonata tam Aris à 5, for 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in A, C.124
- Sonata tam Aris à 5, for 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in B flat major, C.122
- Sonata tam Aris à 5, for 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in F, C.119
- Sonata tam Aris à 5, for 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in G, C.121
- Sonata tam Aris à 5, for trumpet, violin, 2 violas, and continuo in C, C.117
- Sonata tam Aris à 5, for trumpet, violin, 2 violas, and continuo in G minor, C.123
- Sonata tam Aris à 6, for 2 violins, 3 violas, and continuo in D, C.115
- Sonata tam Aris à 6, for 2 violins, 3 violas, and continuo in G minor, C.116
- Sonata tam Aris à 6, for 2 violins, 3 violas, and continuo no. 5 in E minor, C.118
- Sonata tam Aris à 8, for 2 trumpets, 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in C major, C.125
- Sonata tam Aris à 8, for 2 trumpets, 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in C, C.114
- Sonata à 6 in B flat major 'die pauern-Kirchfarth genandt', for 3 violins, 2 violas and continuo, C.110
- Trombet und musikalischer Taffeldienst à 4, suite for 2 violins, 2 violas, and continuo in C major, C.76
- Trombet undt musicalischer Taffeldienst
- Violin Sonata in A major, C.147
- Violin Sonata in A, C.106, "Pastorella"
- Violin Sonata in A, C.146, "Representatio Avium"
- Violin Sonata in C minor, C.107
- Violin Sonata in E major, C.108
- Violin Sonata no. 1 in A major, C.138
- Violin Sonata no. 2 in D minor, C.139
- Violin Sonata no. 3 in F major, C.140
- Violin Sonata no. 4 in D major, C.141
- Violin Sonata no. 5 in E minor, C.142
- Violin Sonata no. 6 in C minor, C.143
- Violin Sonata no. 7 in G minor, C.144
- Violin Sonata no. 8 in G major, C.145
- Vocal
- Laetatus Sum à7, for 2 solo voices, violin, 3 violas, and continuo, C.9
- Litaniæ de Sancto Josepho à20, for eight solo voices, double chorus, orchestra and continuo, C.44
- Missa Christi resurgentis, for solo voices, double chorus, orchestra and continuo, C.3
- Missa Salisburgensis, 2 double choruses in 16 parts, double orchestra and double continuo, C.App.101
- Missa ex B, for soloists, chorus and organ, C.4
- Nisi Dominus, for voice, violin abd continuo
- Nisi Dominus, vesper-psalm for solo voices, chorus, orchestra, and continuo in D minor, C.22
- Plaudite tympana, motet for 2 double choruses in 16 parts, double orchestra and double continuo, C.App.106
- Requiem ex F con terza minore, for solo voices, chorus, orchestra and continuo, C.8
- Vesperae longiores ac breviores una cum litaniis Lauretanis, for soloists and chorus
- Vesperae à 32, for 8 solo voices, double chorus, orchestra and continuo in C major, C.11-12