Silvius Leopold Weiss

His Work

Introduction
Weiss dominated his time in lute playing. Like JS Bach, he outstandingly managed to synthesize Baroque music, going from an almost post-Renaissance style at the beginning of his career to pre-romantism towards the end of his life. If we are to believe the few witness accounts which have come down to us, his performing was unique, his technique particularly developed.

Some 650 of Weiss’ works for the lute alone have been made accessible, together with a dozen musical ensembles - whose only surviving parts are that of the lute. The whole - the largest collection in lute music history - is dispersed in over 25 manuscripts in Europe (Dresden, London, Moscow, Salzburg, Vienna, Warsaw and Paris). The Dresden and London manuscripts alone represent 360 pieces in tablatures.

The London Manuscript
(this manuscript can be downloaded in the Jean-Daniel Forget page)

Acquired by the British Museum (today the British Library) in London in 1877, it contains 237 hand-written pieces in tablature for the lute regrouped as follows :

        28 complete suites
          4 preludes
          2 fugues
          2 fantasies
          2 funeral pieces
          1 caprice
          1 overture
          1 complaint
          several minuets, gavottes ...
          3 great duets for the lute and the flute (of which only remains the lute part)

These pieces seem to have been written between 1706 and 1730. The use of an 11-courses instrument in the first suites clearly indicates the age of the oldest pieces. As a matter of fact, the 11-courses lute immediately follows Renaissance instruments (which had from 6 to 10 courses) and introduces the Baroque period. The peak of the use of this instrument, during the 18th century, will make it acquire up to 13 courses.

Despite its importance,this compilation, commonly refered to as « the London Manuscript », represents a little less than half of Weiss’ works.The greatest interest of this manuscript lies in the contents of its pages, addenda and corrections made by W himself, as well as the annotation of certain dates and places of composition.

The authenticity of approximately ten pieces remains uncertain.

The Dresden Manuscript

About 21 suites, probably composed after 1725 are kept in the SL in Dresden. The library acquired them in 1929 during the auction sale of Werner von Wolffheim’s famous musical library. Several other pieces were dispersed throughout Europe after that auction.

Contrary to the London Manuscript, which is in only one volume, the Dresden Manuscript has 6 volumes : 5 volumes are dedicated to the lute only and are arranged by pitch, and a sixth volume is devoted to chamber music pieces, the lute part of which only remains.

In his 1977 edition of the Dresden Manuscript, Wolfgang Reich gives us the following details :

(the following chart is a faithful reproduction of the one appearing in Wolfgang Reich’s edition. I haven’t been able to contact either Wolfgang Reich or his editor, so if, for any reason, this is an inconvenience, please send me an e-mail. )

Volume

Suite

Title (The Volume Suite appears in italics in the Manuscript)

Observations

Suite en Fa Majeur

The courante is a variation of :

-	Suite n°3 in the same volume
-	in issue n°38 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia". 1769
-	as suite n°1 in the second part of the volume « Legacy of German Music » from the archives of musical research. 1939.

Suite en Fa Majeur

Can be found in the LM with another prelude

Suite en Fa Majeur

Can be found in :

-	the London Ms under the title "Le fameux corsaire" ("The Famous Privateer")
-	in issue n°39 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia". 1769

Suite en ré mineur

Autograph. Can be found :

-	in issue n°31 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia". 1769
-	as Suite n°2 in the volume « Legacy of German Music » from the archives of musical research. 1939.

Party by SL Weiss en fa mineur

Michel Cardin correction : D minor key. Can be found in the London Ms without the fantaisie.

Suonata per il Liuto di Silvio Leopoldo Weiss en ré mineur

Autograph

Suite en ré mineur

Autograph

Suite en Do Majeur

Autograph. Menuets 1 & 2 can be found in the London Ms

Suite en Do Majeur

Autograph. The titleless prelude was added by the copyist, R. This suite, without the prelude, can be found in issue n°12 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.

Suite en Do Majeur

This suite can be found as Partita Grande n°4 in the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.

Suite en Do Majeur

Autograph. This suite can be found as Suite n°3 in the volume « Legacy of German Music » from the archives of musical research. 1939.

Suite en la mineur

This suite can be found in the LM under the title "L'Infidèle" ("The Unfaithful Woman") but movements 3 to 5 are in a reversed order.

Suite en la mineur

Suonata del Sigre Sigism.Weiss en La Majeur

This suite can be found in :

-	issue n°2 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
-	in the London Ms, without the prelude but with a sarabande and a gigue.

The first name Sigism.was crossed with a pencil. To the left of the title, the composer noted with a pencil : S.L.Weiss. The trace is missing. The prelude was added later by another hand, as Neemann asserts.

Suite en La Majeur

- This suite can be found in issue n°1 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
- Above the prelude : Suonata del Sig.Weiss composta a Roma. should be found, written in red ink. Maybe this indication given by Neemann is the result of a mistake because no trace of red ink is to be found where it should. Instead, it appears above the title of suite n°17.
- There are hand-written remarks above the prelude : Weiss Sil:Leop: Next to all the following movements his "item"remark can be found. The prelude was not added later, as Neemann indicates.

Suonata del signore S.L.Weiss en La Majeur

This suite can be found :

-	in issue n°3 du "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
-	in the London Ms in a version significantly diverging from the Dresde Ms.

Above the Allemande version, there is a hand-written note by the composer : S.L.Weiss

Suite en La Majeur

This suite can be found as Suite n°4 in the volume « Legacy of German Music » from the archives of musical research. 1939.
The indications concerning the movements, which are now visible, meant, according to Neeman : overture : largo/ Allegro - Courante - Bourrée - Sarabande - Presto - Menuet.

Suonata del Signore S.L.Weiss en La Majeur

This suite can be found in issue n°4 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
Michel Cardin's note : JS Bach BWV 1026

Suonata del Signore S.L.Weiss en fa# mineur

This suite can be found in issue n°49 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
The prelude wa added by the copyist, Raschke.

Suonata del sigre Sylv.Leop.Weiss en si^bMajeur

The overture, the courante and the bourrée can be found in the London Ms.
The prelude and the second menuet have been added by the copyist, Raschke.

Suite en Si^b Majeur

This suite can be found in issue n°9 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.

Suite en Si^b Majeur

This suite can be found as Suite n°5 in the volume « Legacy of German Music » from the archives of musical research. 1939.
The allemande, the courante, the gigue, the bourrée, the gavotte and the menuet can be found in the London Ms (Michel Cardin’s note : the sarabande is found there too).

Suite en Si^b Majeur

The indications of movements, which have become invisible, meant, according to Neemann : intro - courante - bourrée - sarabande - presto - menuet

Suite en fa mineur

This suite can be found :

-	in issue n°48 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
-	in the London Ms

Suite en sol mineur

Autograph
This suite can be found :

-	as Suite n°6 in the volume « Legacy of German Music » from the archives of musical research. 1939.
-	in the London Ms without the prelude and with another sarabande

The prelude was added by the copyist, Raschke

Suite en sol mineur

Suonata del sigre S.L.Weiss en do mineur

This suite can be found in :

-	issue n°19 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
-	in the London Ms

Above the allemande, the composer wrote with a pencil : Von anno 6.In Düsseldorf.ergo Nostra giuventù comparisce.

Suite en do mineur de Ms.Weiss

This suite can be found :

-	in issue n°20 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.
-	in the London Ms with a prelude. The final movement is called "La belle Tiroloise" ("The beautiful Tyrolean girl").

Suite en do mineur

This suite can be found as Partita Grande in issue n°6 of the "Supplemento IV dei Catalogi delle Sinfonie, Partite, Partite, Overture...che si trovano in manoscritto nella Officiana musica di Breitkopf in Lipsia", 1769.

Suite en Mi^b Majeur

This suite can be found in the London Ms with another prelude, without the courante. The final movement is called "Le Sans soucie".
The prelude was added by the copyist, Raschke.

The Moscow Manuscript

In 1941, this manuscript was transferred from the State Music Academy PI Tchaïkovsky in Moscow to the Music Library in the Central State Museum for Musical Culture MI Glinla in Moscow (today the Glinka Museum).