Lute Sonata II from the London MS

Drop D Tuning - D Major

* S-C 2

Lute Sonata IV from the London MS

Drop D Tuning - G Major

* S-C 5

Lute Sonata XI from the London MS

Standard Tuning - A Major

Lute Sonata XIII from the London MS

Drop D Tuning - D Major

Lute Sonata XX from the London MS

Drop D Tuning - D Major

Lute Sonata XXIII from the London MS

Drop D Tuning - A Minor - Known as L'Infidèle

Lute Sonata V from the Dresden MS

Drop D Tuning - D Minor

* S-C 34

Lute Sonata IX from the Dresden MS

Standard Tuning - C Major

* S-C 37

Lute Sonata X from the Dresden MS

Drop D Tuning - C Major

* S-C 38

Lute Sonata XIV from the Dresden MS

Drop D and Standard Tuning - A Minor - our latest addition

* S-C 42

Lute Sonata XVII from the Dresden MS

Standard Tuning - A Major

* S-C 12

Lute Sonata XX from the Dresden MS

Standard Tuning - A Major

* S-C 45

* = Smith - Crawford Numbering of Weiss Lute Sonatas

     It was my intention from the very beginning of these endeavors to offer classical guitarists the opportunity to perform "complete" Lute Sonatas from this great lute composer.  These Sonatas that I've worked on constitute an enormous amount of time invested into the transcription from the original lute tablature and the configuring of the playing on the 6 string classical guitar.  There are enormous difficulties inherent in these simple statements.  The idea, simply, was not to recreate the "sound" of the lute, but to embody the spirit of the music itself in its meager translation to the classical guitar.  If you were to put my back to the wall, I will be the first to tell you that this music should be performed on its native instrument.  But that is neither possible for the majority of classical guitarists nor feasible in the short term.  In other words, as I wrote to a colleague in late 2005, I wouldn't expect a lutenist to want to play these arrangements....they are solely for the classical guitarist.

     Given the fact that Weiss' music has never been presented in quite the manner I am attempting (complete lute sonatas instead of piece meal extractions, as you will find in numerous guitar compendiums), my sole alternative was for me to put my considerable effort and talents into this music to attempt to give you an authentic experience.  Thus, the use of open strings, cross string trills, playing up into the higher positions on the fret-board, while playing across other open strings; all of these and more come into play. I have spent vast time marking these books and have recently revisited my first versions to make them as complete and accurate as possible.      

     In December of 2005 thru January of 2006, I went back over all of them "again", realizing that I had made some (if not many) errors in judgment regarding the original MS representations, and went about fully correcting and editing the original scores so that the music you will see is as close to the baroque lute tablature as you will find for the 6 string classical guitar.  Changes and/or edits are notated, so that you will know exactly what was done to accommodate your instrument.  I have added notes on ornamentation, as well as the reading of lute tablature, and simple interpretations of the music that can be used as your groundwork for learning the pieces within.

     You have my word that you will be looking at the finest versions of this lute music translated for the classical guitar, fingered and marked as accurately as possible, attempting to emulate the sonority and open feeling of the native instrument.  The quality of these books, as well as the printing, will give you music for your classical guitar that, as I've always attempted to offer, has never been seen before, or if it has, offers you a superior experience as always.

     Regards,

      Richard F. Sayage

      President - Savage Classical Guitar

Sonata II

 London MS

D Major

Sonata IV

 London MS

G Major

Sonata XXIII L'Infidèle

 London MS

A Minor

Sonata V

Dresden MS

D Minor

Sonata IX

 Dresden MS

C Major

Sonata XVII

 Dresden MS

A Major

Sonata XX

 Dresden MS

A Major