Weiss: Sonatas for Lute, Vol. 11

The more than 600 works for lute that Silvius Leopold Weiss wrote during his lifetime had fallen into obscurity for almost 200 years before being rediscovered and finally published at the beginning of the 20th century. Weiss is considered one of the last great and technically outstanding virtuosos and was particularly admired by his contemporaries for his extraordinary improvisational skill. Robert Barto, who has delighted critics worldwide with his interpretations of Weiss for the NAXOS edition, presents on the present Volume 11 the three sonatas No. 39, Partita Grande, No. 96 and No. 30. All the sonatas are characterized by their great emotional power: the majestic No. 39, which also reflects the composer's imaginative lyrical mastery, the lighter No. 96, which may have been designed as an exercise piece, and No. 30, which almost exemplarily demonstrates the qualities of liveliness, grace and emotional depth that give the music of Silvius Leopold Weiss its enormous appeal.