Programme:
Heinrich Ignaz Biber: Requiem in F minor C 8 as well as music by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer
»Access to the light through the voice« is the motto of Lionel Meunier and Vox Luminis. The Belgian ensemble fulfils this ambition like a dream, with the soft, smooth, homogeneous sound of their crystal-clear, perfectly transparent voices. They join forces with the Freiburger BarockConsort, made up of members of the Freiburger Barockorchester, to put the spotlight on two grand masters of the Austrian Baroque: Johann Heinrich Schmelzer and his presumed disciple Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber. The latter’s requiem in F minor forms the central work of the evening and is characterised by its remarkably diverse score, which dives deep into themes of faith, transience, and departure. The Bohemian-born composer, who was Kapellmeister in the service of the Archbishop of Salzburg from 1670, was also famous for being a violin virtuoso. This is reflected in the requiem, with the first violin standing out from the other string instruments and acting as an expressive upper voice above the choir – perhaps a symbol of the hope for an eternal light after death?
Freiburger BarockConsort
Vox Luminis vocal ensemble
Lionel Meunier bass and director
supported by the Wolfgang und Ursula Braun Stiftung
