Nigel North, the lutenist on this album, was initially inspired to play the D minor tuned eighteenth-century lute by hearing Sylvius Leopold Weiss' 'L'infidèle' Sonata on a record.
Compositional Technique
The title 'L'infidèle' for Sylvius Leopold Weiss' Sonata refers to the Catholic Austrians calling the Muslim Turks 'infidels' and incorporates Turkish musical elements like 'drones' and West Asian melodic intervals.
Composer Biography
Sylvius Leopold Weiss, a lutenist-composer, was employed at the court of Dresden from 1719 until his death, but also visited Vienna in 1719, where the new galant style of music was in fashion.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The Prelude, Fantasia and Fugue in C major by Weiss are believed to be written-down improvisations, demonstrating his skill in creating the illusion of true counterpoint on the lute.
Historical Context
Vienna had a fascination with Turkish culture, including coffee and music, since the failed siege of Vienna by the Turks in the late seventeenth century.
Interpretation
Nigel North transcribed Vivaldi's Concerto in F major for solo lute, changing the key from D major to F major and simplifying the texture, incorporating some of J.S. Bach's ornamentation ideas.
Compositional Technique
Weiss' 'Tombeau sur la mort de M. Comte de Logy' is a funeral oration that uses 'affective' passages to imitate the sound of a funeral bell, including irregular rhythms and the Doppler effect.
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