Henricus Albicastro (pseudonym of Johann Heinrich Weissenburg, c.1660–1730), one of the most enigmatic yet musically capable violinist-composers of his era, succeeded in marrying the polyphonic art of the south German violin school with the melodic and structural innovations of the Italians. The present work belongs to a group of four violin sonatas by Albicastro included in a manuscript anthology by at least 15 different composers copied c.1705 in England. Two lyrical slow movements alternate with energetic, often suavely contrapuntal quicker movements, and such characteristic Albicastrian hallmarks as inter-movement quotation and harmonic experimentation reveal a composer of singular originality and interest.

 Music example (pdf)