Rosary Sonatas [SEP] instrumentation
Rosary Sonatas
The Rosary Sonatas ("Rosenkranzsonaten", also known as the Mystery Sonatas or Copper-Engraving Sonatas) by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber are a collection of 15 short sonatas for violin and continuo, with a final passacaglia for solo violin. Each has a title related to the Christian Rosary devotion practice and possibly to the Feast of the Guardian Angels.
It is presumed that the "Mystery Sonatas" were completed around 1676, but they were unknown until their publication in 1905. The music of Biber was never
, first called the Baroque Players of New York (later the Chamber Players), performing a range of works from Henry Purcell to Bulent Ariel.
In its infancy, Monosoff joined the ensemble New York Pro Musica under Noah Greenberg. She was the first modern performer to record the Rosary Sonatas and the 8 Sonatas of 1681 by Heinrich Biber. Her recording of the Bach sonatas with harpsichordist James Weaver won best recording of the year (1963) from Sound_&_Vision_(magazine).
From 1972 to 1997 she taught at Cornell University.