COMPOSERS: Weiss
LABELS: Sony
WORKS: Sonata in B flat; Sonata in F minor; Sonata in F sharp minor
PERFORMER: Lutz Kirchhof (Baroque lute)
CATALOGUE NO: SK 57964 DDD
Weiss is very much the lutenist’s Bach, and if his music is less contrapuntally rich than that of his more famous contemporary, it is nonetheless full of harmonic daring. These large-scale sonatas are fiendishly demanding, and while Kirchhof’s performances are not absolutely flawless, he plays with considerable bravura and musicianship. Some may find the sound of his breathing intrusive, but then it’s reassuring to know there’s a human being behind all that digital technology. Kate Bolton
Weiss: Sonata in B flat; Sonata in F minor; Sonata in F sharp minor
Weiss is very much the lutenist’s Bach, and if his music is less contrapuntally rich than that of his more famous contemporary, it is nonetheless full of harmonic daring. These large-scale sonatas are fiendishly demanding, and while Kirchhof’s performances are not absolutely flawless, he plays with considerable bravura and musicianship. Some may find the sound of his breathing intrusive, but then it’s reassuring to know there’s a human being behind all that digital technology. Kate Bolton
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:39 pm