Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber - Vesperae; Laetatus sum (Gunar Letzbor)

Information

Composer: Pater Ignatius; Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber; Benedikt Anton Aufschnaiter

• Ignatius - Aufzug a 2 clarini, 2 trombe & timpani
• Aufschnaiter - Missa Laetemur in ea à 12
• Biber - Laetatus sum a 7
• Biber - Sonata / Gloria Patri
• Biber - Vesperae a 32 in C Major

St. Florianer Sängerknaben

Ars Antiqua Austria

Gunar Letzbor, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Accent

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Led by Gunar Letzbor, the ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria presents a compelling recording of two major North-Alpine Catholic Baroque works: Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber’s 32-voice Vespers from Salzburg and the world-premiere recording of Benedikt Anton Aufschnaiter’s festive mass Missa Laetamur in ea from Passau. Mirroring historical Salzburg Cathedral performance practice, the ensemble unites virtuosic soloists with soprano and alto voices from the St. Florian Boys' Choir. The performance balances multi-choral grandiosity with acoustic clarity, enabling the transparent interplay of singers, brass, timpani, and strings to highlight both the textual nuances and the radiant splendor of this sacred repertoire.

Austrian violinist and conductor Gunar Letzbor (b. 1961) studied at Linz, Salzburg, and Cologne, where influential encounters with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Reinhard Goebel shaped his expertise in historical performance practice. Following engagements with prominent early-music groups like Musica Antiqua Köln, he founded Ars Antiqua Austria to research and revive neglected Central European Baroque repertoire. Through extensive performances and world-premiere recordings—including works by Biber, Muffat, and unrecorded solo violin sonatas by Vilsmayr and Westhoff—Letzbor and his ensemble have brought long-obscured masterpieces to light while cultivating a distinctly Central European period sound defined by structural depth and spiritual resonance.