This is a matter of small importance‚ since Monica Huggett’s arrival at these marvels of the 17th­century violin repertoire‚ no less than Manze’s‚ has the authority of a player to the manner born. Huggett has a strong but fluent technique‚ and produces from her violin a sweet sound at all times‚ rarely forcing the tone into stridency (as Manze does‚ for instance in the clashing dissonances of the ‘Variation of Sonata No 5). Rather‚ her navigation of what Charles Burney‚ writing in the 1770s‚ called the ‘most difficult and most fanciful music of any I have seen of the period’ is characterised‚ not by Manze’s energetic interpretative gestures‚ but by her own rather aristocratic brand of easy poise and balance‚ proving that these sonatas can work well as pure music‚ without the need for urgent drama. It is an alternative view of Biber from that of fiery virtuoso (though virtuosity is certainly needed to achieve it)‚ and rather a seductive one it ...