ANNA KOWALSKA baroque lute
ANTON BIRULA baroque lute
Composer:
Silvius Leopold Weiss.
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To the 330th anniversary of Sylvius Leopold Weiss (12.10.1687 – 16.10.1750)
In the time of the Renaissance, duet music for the lute, and music for the lute in general, was pervasive. However, although the lute was at its apex musically, its use waned in popularity, becoming an even more exclusive instrument played by the most skilled lutenists, which were few in number. Unfortunately, within the huge repertoire for the baroque lute, duets compose just a tiny fraction of lute music.
As actively performing lutenists, we feel that the lute revival is incomplete without offering our listeners the wider repertoire. Although musically we are rooted in the original historical pieces of lute repertoire, it feels natural to follow the path of other instruments and create new inroads, such as producing transcriptions and composing parts for musical scores that are incomplete. This is made possible by utilizing the knowledge and training gained from fantastic teachers, new musicological insights, and the will to learn. Thus we strive to enlarge the existing lute repertoire by a new oeuvre of duets for baroque lutes, instruments possessed of exceptional tone, sonority and poetry.
The current program features works by the most prominent Master of lute composition, Silvius Leopold Weiss. Weiss composed during the Baroque era, which saw the peak of the lute`s development. Here Weiss` works are performed by XXI century musicians, whose musical influences have been shaped by a colorful array of later voices: Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Dave Brubeck, and Pink Floyd among others. Many great musicians developed their skills by being rooted in the music of the past, while inspiring millions who play and compose the music of the present. We hope that the music of Silvius Leopold Weiss will be an inspiration to you as it has been to us.
While working on this recording , we wanted to recreate the atmosphere and feeling musicians had when recording lute in the time of the XX century early music revival.
We desired to recreate that atmosphere, when albums that made us dream of playing the lute were created. Therefore, we turned to the analog medium and worked with Tascam reel- to-reel recorders during sessions and the post production process. This CD represents an AAD recording.
The Pyramid strings on our instruments were widely used towards the end of the XX century, and are still among the most respected of brands. It was a great experience to combine historical instruments, traditional tape machines, and strings that were crucial in the revival of the lute.