Weiss's Tombeau is set in the extreme key of B flat minor and uses intense harmonic modulations and chromatic melodic lines to convey a sense of personal grief.
Historical Context
By the early 18th century, the lute had become an instrument primarily associated with the aristocracy in German-speaking countries, suited for small, courtly gatherings.
Instruments
All works on this album are composed for the 13-course lute, an instrument whose development the composer Silvius Leopold Weiss likely participated in.
Composer Biography
Silvius Leopold Weiss, the composer, was appointed to the Dresden court of August the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, in 1718.
Performer Biography
Robert Barto, the performer on this album, won first prize in the International Lute Competition in Toronto and the top prize for instrumental soloists at the Musica Antiqua Competition in Bruges in 1984.
Composition History
Sonata No. 28 'Le fameux Corsaire' may have been named after the famous pirate Edward Teach, also known as 'Blackbeard,' who died in 1718, or it could refer to North African 'Barbary Corsairs.'
Composition History
The Tombeau sur la mort de M. Comte de Logy is one of Weiss's most famous works, composed in memory of Count Johann Anton Logy von Losinthal, a highly accomplished aristocratic lutenist.
