Long before Bach’s genius came to the fore, a line of intrepid minds patiently paved the way for the dawn of the Baroque violin in the Holy Roman Empire, lifting it out of the shadow of the voice to establish it as a commanding solo instrument. From the contrapuntal rigour of Samuel Capricornus to the theatrical brilliance of Biber, via the elegance of Krieger, Schmelzer, Westhoff and Vilsmayr, this album unfolds an evolving Germanic musical landscape. With infinite delicacy, Louise Ayrton unearths these forgotten roots and celebrates these visionaries, who laid the foundations for the violin to finally become the absolute master of its own musical narrative.