FANTASTICA ensemble:
Aleksandra Owczarek – violin
Klaudia Łoboda – harpsichord

Programme:

• G.B. Viviani - Sonata in D minor 
• Ph. F. Böddecker - Sonata in D minor 
• H.I.F. von Biber - Sonata dorycka C 139
• H. Litzkau - Sonata in D minor 
• H.I.F. von Biber -Sonata in E minor C142

Virtuosity, Madness, and a Musical Journey through the Habsburg Empire. 

“Fantasticus” is a concert programme bursting with intensity, virtuosity, and the wild expressiveness of the stylus fantasticus—a Baroque style known for its technical challenges, unrestrained improvisation, and dramatic, unpredictable shifts. It offers a dazzling confrontation between celebrated and forgotten works: from the renowned sonatas of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber to the rediscovered Sonata in D minor by Heinricus Litzkau—an overlooked gem of 17th-century violin literature. Recorded by Da Vinci Publishing, Fantasticus invites the listener into a world of Baroque fantasy, where the boundaries between music, emotion, and imagination dissolve into a single, vivid, pulsating experience.

The programme includes the Sonata in A minor by Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani, an Italian violinist and composer active at the imperial court. Known for his operas, oratorios, and solo cantatas, Viviani was reportedly influenced by the celebrated Baroque composer Antonio Cesti. His Sonata in A minor embodies the expressive depth and dramatic flair typical of the era. 

The concert also features the Sonata in D minor by Philipp Friedrich Böddecker, a German composer and organist of the 17th century. Only a handful of his works survive, including the Sacra Partitura (a collection of sacred pieces for soprano and basso continuo), a violin sonata, a bassoon sonata, the festive Melos irenicum (composed to celebrate the Peace of Westphalia), and a mourning song written in memory of a government official’s daughter. 

A highlight of the evening is the recently uncovered Sonata in D minor by Heinricus Litzkau, a 17th-century violinist and composer. It is likely that this performance will mark the work’s Toruń premiere.

The centrepiece of the programme is the work of Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, the famed Austrian composer and violin virtuoso of Czech origin. Living in the 17th century, Biber pushed the technical boundaries of the violin, famously using scordatura—a method of retuning the instrument’s strings to unlock new sonic possibilities and virtuosic effects.  His bold use of high and low positions, varied bowing techniques, and intricate textures helped define his expressive and innovative sonatas. Biber’s pioneering approach to violin technique is thought to have influenced later virtuosos, including Niccolò Paganini and his 24 Caprices. 

This concert promises an evening of unbridled Baroque imagination—a world where fantasy reigns and musical boundaries are boldly redefined. 

Mecenas Główny: Miasto Toruń
Partner Główny: Samorząd Województwa Kujawsko-Pomorskiego
Dofinansowano z Funduszy Europejskich
Patronat honorowy: Marszałek Województwa Kujawsko-Pomorskiego Piotr Całbecki, Prezydent Miasta Torunia Paweł Gulewski
Mecenas Kultury - Główny Sponsor: PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna S.A.
Mecenas Strategiczny: Strabag Sp. z o.o.
Mecenasi: Urbitor Sp. z o.o., Starostwo Powiatowe w Toruniu
Partnerzy: Pneuma Jarosław Pawlicki, Pirmedia Sp. z o.o., BJJ Maciej Zieliński, RTR Group Sp. z o.o.
Partner motoryzacyjny: Toyota Bednarscy
Partner technologiczny: Vobacom Sp. z o.o.
Patronat medialny: TVP3 Bydgoszcz, TV Toruń, Nowości - Dziennik Toruński , Toruń Nasze Miasto, Polskie Radio PiK, POLMIC
Współpraca redakcyjna: RMF Classic
Organizator: Toruńska Orkiestra Symfoniczna