Weiss: Sonatas for Lute, Volume 3

In his day, Silvius Leopold Weiss (1686-1750) was one of the most famous musicians in Germany. An exact contemporary of Bach, he lived and worked in luxury in the ducal court at Dresden. However, when, after he died, his instrument (the lute) and the tablature method of writing for it descended into obsolescence, his reputation dwindled too. He wrote some 600 works for the baroque lute, almost all of them dance suites, although they were titled either sonatas or partitas. They were for the mind and not for the feet to dance to. Unlike the Renaissance lute, the baroque instrument is tuned to a chord (D minor). It resonates richly and booms with a variable number of unfretted bass strings. The three sonatas, which the brilliant Canadian lutenist Robert Barto plays with barely a squeak on this Naxos disc, span the composer's career. The early period Sonata in D major is distinguished by a freely rhythmic, unbarred Prelude. Weiss's mid-life Sonata in C minor is marked by a wonderfully doleful minuet. By the time Weiss wrote his profound Sonata in D minor in later life, his movements had become extended and absorbing intellectual journeys. Barto renders Weiss's elegantly circuitous trail with absolute logic. --Rick Jones Amazon.com

Steven Sturgill-Ojeda Reviews Barto's Weiss

This my friends is a kingly gift fit for a prince or any such audience be they heavenly or mere mortal! This is how Weiss is supposed to sound; such tender grace and exquisite phrasing and tone control. The tempos are perfect and the sound lush with tasteful reverb. I do not prefer the very dry screechy recordings some labels seem to prefer. There are many things in life that may be more "authentic" but that categorically does NOT make them better per se. I want beautiful sound that sounds like heaven might sound. Barto is the consummate Lute master of our time! While O'Dette is a more popular and a truly gifted and prolific player, I currently assert that Weiss has NEVER sounded more like Weiss than through the awe inspiringly beautiful interpretation via the utterly deft touch of Robert Bartos' hands. Please buy this disc, then buy a good 300B or SE Tube amplifier or at least a pre, some great speakers (not avaiable at your local store) and sit back and meditate or enjoy a good glass of wine or aged scotch or at least a good cup of Joe and be transported to another time and place somewhere in Transitional Bavaria at its' finest. Ok, if you can't afford the system upgrade PLEASE BUY THIS DISC!!! You won't regret it ever unless you absolutely hate fine, spiritually uplifting instrumental music. If you like great classical guitar you will be amazed at these incredible NAXOS cd recordings made using 20-bit technology that would be worth 3 times the price, SHHHHH, sorry! Don't tell Naxos. Thank you Naxos, and THANK YOU Robert Barto. Sir you are a modern day genius. A finer lute player there is not in the world today! By the way Amazon is offering these 4 for the price of 3! Order 4 at a time and SAVE. Also look carefully for his 8th disc. They DO have it but it is not listed normally. You may have to do a google or yahoo search for it, but I did buy mine through Amazon.com. It is very new and NOT to be missed! April 4, 2007

thanks naxos

naxos has provided me with so much great music over the years at budget price, i want to thank the folks over there right up front. this is one of my very favorite naxos releases. i know next to nothing about the lute. never touched one, never seen one in person. how many strings are on the things, anyway? to the listener, i don't think that it really matters having such answers resolved. just listen. this is gorgeous, quiet music. perfect for late at night. the tone of the instrument combined with the atmospherics of the canadian church that this recording was made in is haunting on the ears. i listen to this disc over and over again. great stuff for reading to in the evening. thanks again, naxos.

March 18, 2007

Superb recording

The finest baroque lutenist recording today playing the music of the finest baroque lute composer in history. A combination that has produced a superb series of recordings on Naxos. August 13, 2003

superb music, musicianship

these weiss recordings by robert barto (and the parallel series recorded by lutz kirchhof) provide a beautiful and unexpectedly poignant taste of the late baroque. the lutes in both series have a splendid tone, resonant and bright, and the recordings are close (20 bit technology is used) without being too detailed. the pieces are played with nary a buzz or flubbed note and with stunning rhythmic momentum and verve. (kirchhof once or twice pops a string in his enthusiasm.) the various suites by weiss are not strongly contrasted musically -- all are built around similar harmonic progressions and motifs, developed as arpeggiated chords and free scales -- and all the discs in the barto and kirchhof series are delightful: the music is gently propulsive, endlessly evolving, wistful, joyful, reflective and dancing by turns. highly recommended. December 17, 2002

superb performance of classic lute music

Superbly played, well recorded disc of some magnificent music from Herr Weiss. The music is permeated by the dance rhythms which make it so appealing to listeners of this era, and yet at times in the slow passages have a poignant ring that put to shame all the horrid "new age" music that now invades the airwaves.Give yourself a treat and get this disc! September 20, 2000

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