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Lute Sonatas (Schneeweiss)(10cd) [Box set]

Silvius Leopold Weiss (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product details

Audio CD (15 Oct 2001)
Number of Discs: 10
Format: Box set
Label: Arte Nova
ASIN: B00005NGJT
Other Editions: MP3 Download

Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 167,492 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars About-Face, Please! Weiss Disserves an Apology 19 Feb 2006

By Sean Kasabuske

Format:Audio CD

Although many recordings of Weiss' music played on the baroque lute are available, one finds comparatively few that are played on the modern classical guitar. This is both puzzling and unfortunate, because Weiss' music translates well to the guitar, and those which have been transcribed for this wonderful instrument are of such high quality that they are now favorites in the guitarists' repertoire. A contemporary and friend of Bach, Weiss was both a virtuoso player and a composer -- a musical genius in his own right -- who composed about 600 pieces for the baroque lute and theorbo. Yet, even if one were to purchase every recording available by Segovia, Yepes, Bream, Parkening, Williams, et al., one would still end up with but a handful of pieces to enjoy by this talented though neglected composer. Thus, when I found out that there was a boxed collection of Weiss' lute and theorbo music presented on the modern classical guitar, I could hardly contain my enthusiasm! It is often said that the anticipation is always greater than the realization, and though hackneyed this phrase certainly describes my disappointment in this collection.

The liner notes state that the aim of the project is to, "transcribe for classical concert guitar the 29 surviving lute and theorbo sonatas of ...[S. L.] Weiss...taking into consideration modern performance and compositional techniques." Though a bit ambiguous, that sounds fairly encouraging. However, the next paragraph reveals the problem, "What we have here is not baroque music in the traditional sense, but an interpretation by Weiss [sic.... It should say an interpretation "of Weiss"] which makes use of all the modern playing techniques of the 21st century guitar to produce a fastidious contemporary virtuoso performance which is only possible on the guitar."

Well, it is true that the performance is virtuosic, but it also lacks subtly, and the simple charm of Weiss' music disappears beneath an endless flurry of embellishments. It is true that the music is contemporary, but it is oddly so, as the underlying structure was conceived and developed within the compositional parameters of the baroque period. (One cannot and should not try to build a modern skyscraper from a 17th Century castle.) It is true that it is not baroque music in the traditional sense, but it also is not Weiss' music in any sense that matters, at least to this reviewer.

Weiss employed ornamentation purposefully and systematically. For Weiss, ornamentation was the seasoning, while melody, harmony, and rhythm were the main course. With these transcriptions, the main course disappears beneath a mound of seasoning. Indeed, I could barely recognize most of this music! To give you an idea of just how `embellished' the pieces in this collection are, consider the Sonata No. 2 in D major. This is a wonderfully lighthearted sonata, replete with charm and humor when played as Weiss wrote it. Using his magnificent ten-string guitar, Narciso Yepes playes it in the key of E major on the album, "Baroque Music: J.S. Bach, Weiss, Scarlatti, Sanz" (STEREO 2535 227--10). (It appears that Yepes's presentation of this sonata is not available on CD yet.) Yepes offers a faithful virtuosic performance of this sonata that takes all of about 20 minutes to complete, while Schneeweiss takes 46 minutes! If this collection were presented as Schneeweiss' own work, there might be some justification for his treatment of this music. Many composers have used someone else's work as material for their own "theme and variations". But there is no hint on the packaging that these are effectively Schneeweiss' own compositions. And shouldn't we at least be able to recognize the original theme that gave birth to the new variations?

The liner notes mention two beneficial points about this collection, "firstly, Silvius Leopold Weiss's forgotten masterpieces will once more see the light of day and be brought to wide audiences...secondly, the adaptation will enrich the guitar repertoire in an unprecedented fashion." Unfortunately, the first point has not been realized, as this music scarcely resembles what Weiss wrote, and therefore cannot legitimately be considered his masterpieces. Whether or not the second point is eventually realized in any meaningful way will depend upon whether guitarists take a liking to these transcriptions. If my reaction is typical, then Schneeweiss' versions may be destined to suffer the same fate as the originals.

There are 10 of Weiss's sonatas in this collection, leaving many that are yet to be recorded. I applaud Schneeweiss' love for Weiss' music, and while I regret that he didn't love it enough to remain faithful to it, there is still time for an about-face. What do you say, Mr. Schneeweiss? Read more ›

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1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing like Weiss 8 Feb 2013

By V. Vexman

Format:Audio CD

I bought one of these discs when it first came out (and when very little of his music had been recorded) and passed it on to Oxfam after listening to half of it -- it may be virtuosic but it doesn't sound like any Weiss I've ever heard, and Weiss is what I wanted to hear. (What it did sound like was technically demanding noodling, based very very distantly on something that sounded vaguely 'baroque'.)If you like modern classical guitar technique this might appeal, otherwise beware. Naxos's series of Weiss sonatas is the thing.

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4 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Making the Dead come to Life 5 Nov 2002

By Stephen Muires

Format:Audio CD

This is a 10 CD set filled with very old music from the time of Bach, music that in any other rendition sounds just as dull and dead as most Bach recordings do. But when Schneeweiss plays it, it sounds as if it was written yesterday.

I bought this set immediately after having bought the 7 CD Anthology set, also recorded by Schneeweiss, and having been totally surprised at the intensity, lyrical quality and warmth of the guitar music.

The same effect is achieved in these new versions of Weiss's sonatas. They are in effect new versions, which the booklet also points out. This is not an attempt to create 'authentic' sounding lute music on the guitar. This is, instead, a successful attempt to breathe new life into old music, by transforming it, probably changing it in places, and adjusting it to the strengths of the guitar, and dropping the restrictions of the lute.

These things are always very difficult to explain or express, but I have listened to numerous other guitarists (Bream, Williams, Sollscher, you name them) playing classical pieces and nobody, absolutely nobody seems to be able to make classical guitar music come to life in my ears. Nobody except Schneeweiss.

So I recommend these recordings: this is the best of the best. You will never regret it.

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