Weiss, Silvius Leopold: Suite

London Manuscript No. 26

Silvius Leopold Weiss (1686–1750) is considered to be the most important lutenist of the Baroque era. His works fascinate with elegance and grandeur on the lute. This effect is achieved by making the best possible use of the temperament of the Baroque lute with which third intervals – in contrast to fourths on the guitar – are predominant. The pieces are composed in such a way that the lutenist can often strike open strings and seldom has to manage difficult fingerings or stretch the left hand. When arranging these works for the guitar, the composer's main aim was to maintain the resulting ease of playing on the guitar and the ornaments typical of Weiss (especially the acciaccaturas) as best as possible. The approach to the lute's temperament therefore is cautious, without the player having to adjust significantly.