The Sonata No. 7 in C minor is confirmed as one of Weiss's earliest surviving compositions, with a pencil note by the composer himself stating "From 1706 in Düsseldorf, thus our youth presents itself."
Instruments
The Sonata No. 23 in B flat major, though surviving in a copy for a thirteen-course lute, was likely composed for the earlier eleven-course instrument, which remained standard in Germany until the 1740s.
Composer Biography
Silvius Leopold Weiss, the composer of these lute sonatas, was appointed to the Dresden court in 1718, a position he held until his death in 1750.
Historical Context
Weiss, the composer, performed as a child prodigy for Emperor Leopold I in 1694 or 1695, and his Allemande from Sonata No. 7 may have been a 'tombeau' (a piece composed in memory of a great person) for the late Emperor.
Performer Biography
Robert Barto, the performer on this album, won first prize in the International Lute Competition in Toronto in 1984, as well as the top prize for all instrumental soloists in the Musica Antiqua Competition in Bruges.
Compositional Technique
Weiss's Sonata No. 45 in A major includes a Courante that is 183 bars long, far exceeding the normal length of dance movements by his contemporaries like Bach or Handel.
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