Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber

Bohemian-Austrian composer, violinist, and gambist (baptised 12 August 1644 – died 3 May 1704). His works show a predilection for canonic use and harmonic diapason that pre-date the later Baroque works of Johann Pachelbel and Johann Sebastian Bach. Biber was one of the most important composers for the violin in the history of the instrument. His technique allowed him to easily reach the 6th and 7th positions, employ multiple stops in intricate polyphonic passages, and explore the various possibilities of scordatura tuning. He also wrote one of the earliest known pieces for solo violin, the monumental passacaglia of the Mystery Sonatas. During Biber's lifetime, his music was known and imitated throughout Europe. In the late 18th century he was named the best violin composer of the 17th century by music historian Charles Burney. In the late 20th century Biber's music, especially the Mystery Sonatas, enjoyed a renaissance. Today, it is widely performed and recorded. Born in the small Bohemian town of Wartenberg (Stráž pod Ralskem), Biber worked at Graz and Kroměříž before he illegally left his Kroměříž employer (Prince-Bishop Carl Liechtenstein-Castelcorno) and settled in Salzburg, Austria. In 1670, he joined the Kapelle at Salzburg, and this is where he remained until his death in 1704. He became director of the Kapelle in 1684 and was ennobled in 1690.