Record companies should be applauded for their valuable contributions to a growing interest among performers and audiences in the music of Biber. This highly individual and gifted composer-violinist is worth every ounce of artistic and musicological energy spent on him. Though we recognize Biber nowadays foremost for his colourful instrumental music he was, none the less, quite a prolific composer of vocal works for the theatre and the church. His two beautiful Requiem Masses are growing in popularity among audiences but until now I had not heard a note of his music for the stage. Well, all that has changed overnight, so-to-speak, with this complete recording – some three-and-a-quarter hours of music – of Biber's only surviving opera of Dramma Musicale, ''Chi la dura la vince'' (Arminio or ''He who endures, triumphs'').
The exact date of Arminio has not been established but it was probably produced some time between 1690 and 1692. Biber was at that time Kapellmeister to Max-Gandolph, Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, and wrote the piece for the Archbishop's court. The librettist was probably Francesco Maria Raffaelini, about whom I know nothing at all other than the little on him in the accompanying booklet. The text, with its frequently occurring comic scenes and its focus on a hero of Roman times (Arminius), suggests that his models were the Venetian opera librettos of the time, favoured by Cavalli and others.
There are three acts, each subdivided into as many as 16 scenes made up from alternating unaccompanied recitative and a pleasingly rich variety of strophic arias, simply accompanied by continuo but with effective little instrumental ritornellos. These elements of the opera have been preserved virtually intact but the instrumental introduction, and the ballet music, whose presence is indicated in the text, have not. Sensibly, the director, Wolfgang Brunner has supplied these missing sections from music occurring elsewhere in the opera, and the results are by and large convincing. There are 12 solo vocal parts in all: four sopranos, two altos, three tenors and three basses, all of which would presumably have been sung by court musicians. Brass, timpani and recorders feature in scenes calling for special effects; otherwise, an imaginatively assembled continuo group reigns supreme, with two violins providing most of the upper voices of the ritornellos.
The plot, based on an account in the Annals of Tacitus, deals with the Roman revenge, led by Germanicus, on the Germans, under their leader Arminius in AD 9. Arminius had massacred three Roman legions under Quintilius Varus in the Rhineland and was himself, according to Raffaelini, murdered, though in fact I seem to remember he committed suicide, but no matter. From these events stem the fictional action of the opera with its disguises, love element, divided loyalties and comic scenes. Biber's music is, as we might expect, wonderfully effective in the way it enlivens the many contrasting images of the text. Calls to arms such as the fanfares for brass and drums which encompass Germanicus's ostinato-based aria, ''All' armi, a battaglie'' (disc 2, track 6) are but among many such instances of Biber's skill at heightening moments of drama with colourful gestures.
The vocalists range from the excellent to the adequate. Barbara Schlick is, as usual, fluent in matters of style and well cast in the role of Giulia, one of three rivals for the affection of Caligula – her bitterly reflective aria ''Sembra veleno'' (disc 1, track 4) is beautifully sung – and Xenia Meijer is sensitive as the faithful, captive Segesta, wife of Arminius. Bernhard Landauer as the mixed-up Caligula has a comfortable technique but he fails to convey the disagreeable side of his nature. Gerd Turk and Hermann Oswald respectively project a lyrical Nero and a heroic Germanicus, and Gotthold Schwarz admirably conveys Arminius's strength of character. The large continuo group is excellent for the most part, but the ritornello violinists, though spirited in their playing, sometimes lack finesse. The three trumpets and trombones make fine, if occasional, contributions and the recorder group (descant, treble, tenor and bass), Il Dolcimelo, are first-rate though, alas, they appear once only (disc 2, track 16). The Salzburg Hofmusik are a period-instrument group, incidentally.
Musically, Biber's Arminio makes a much stronger and more favourable impression than it does dramatically. The libretto is no masterpiece and the action is long-winded, but the opera is considerably more than a mere curiosity. Biber is skilled not only in achieving vivid characterization by means of tonal colour but also by the effective deployment of varied rhythmic patterns. He handles the comic scenes deftly and with subtle humour. The most notable of these occur at the end of Act 1 where the court jester, Erchino, feigns death, for the love of Climmia, Giulia's nurse. As he affects lifelessness, ''Grim Death'' approaches, to the accompaniment of a stealthy 'Pink Pantherish' melody on unison violone, viola da gamba and cello. The effect is almost as startling as the sudden introduction of a xylophone to conjure up the rattling of bones in the same scene. All this has been lovingly and meticulously realized by Brunner in this recording, compiled from performances given in Salzburg University in 1994. The sound is clear, with only an occasional discreet cough from members of the audience; and the booklet contains a helpful, informative introduction with full texts in translation. Warmly recommended, especially to enthusiasts of baroque music. R1 '9506114'