h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I know arguing about what is on lists like this is a fool's errand, but the selection does seem a little eccentric.

Here are a few high-points of the violin repetoire that maybe warrant inclusion (roughly chronological).

H F Biber, mystery sonatas (the man who wrote the book on scordatura)
Bach violin concerti, especially the one for 2 violins
Bach sonatas for keyboard and violin
Mozart violin concerto no. 5 and Sinfonia Concertante for viola and violin.
Beethoven violin concerto, violin sonatas
Brahms violin concerto
Mendelssohn violin concerto
Berg violin concerto

and Vanessa Mae! Are you trying to wind me up?

Hi Binaryboy,

Thanks for the suggestions! We've put them in

Anna

Hello chaps...

Saw some people wanting to know more about Mustah H F Biber. From the generation prior to Bach, a Germanic Vivaldi substitute. Mystery Sonatas 30 (?) pieces to go along with the Christian Mysteries. Scordatura is where the violinist tunes the strings of the violin to something other than G D A E and then plays the score as written. As I remember each mystery sonata has a different tuning, including one where the D and A strings are swapped over before the bridge. Gives rather interesting harmonic results.

I think one of the Bach violin sonatas (2?) uses scordatura. Also used in the Bartok string quartets? (along with bowing con legno).

His other major work is a Mass in G minor (I think - G something anyway).

John Holloway and a group called Tragicomedia did a good recording of the Mystery Sonatas on Virgin Classics.

He's not exactly a household name, but he's well worth it, for the proto-German classical tradition.