The name of the ensemble „unarum fidium” has its origin in the collection of pieces for violin and basso continuo called „Sonatae unarum fidium, seu a violino solo” written by the Austrian composer Johann Heinrich Schmelzer around 1664 in Nuremberg (Germany). It is believed that this is one of the first known prints written exclusively for this instrumentation.
The title could be translated as follows: unarum - unity, fidium - trust or fiddle, meaning the violin.
The ensemble concentrates on performing early baroque music written for violin and basso continuo in a historically informed performance practice like using the right ornamentations, choosing the right instruments and posture for this period – Uwe Ulbrich is playing on a copy of a violin by Andrea Amati from around 1560 with pure gut strings – and playing from the facsimiles of the old manuscripts and prints. Especially the last one allows musical decisions without determination of posterior editors.
Duo Unarum Fidium has been awarded 1. Prize at the "Förderpreis Alte Musik Saarbrücken 2018" and 1. Prize ex aequo at the Concorso di Musica Antica "Maurizio Pratola" 2018 in L’Aquila (Italy).