Losy, Weiss: Lute Music in Prague & Vienna Circa 1700. Music from Eighteenth-Century Prague

Jan Antonín Losy* (1651–1721) – Partita in D minor for lute, violin and viola da gamba. Suite in B flat major for flute and basso continuo. Suite in G major for harpsichord. Gig in D minor for solo violin. Concertus in A major for lute, violin and viola da gamba. Suite in C major for harpsichord and lute. Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1687–1750) – Tombeau sur la mort de Msr. Comte de Logy arrivée 1721 for lute.

Jan Čižmář – lutes, {oh!} Ensemble: Martyna Pastuszka – violin, Marta Kratochvílová – flute, Anna Firlus – harpsichord, Krzysztof Firlus – viola da gamba

“He took up the lute when he was young and became such a virtuoso that he was unrivalled in France or Italy.” Music historian Gottfried Johann Dlabacž’s testimony describes the lutenist and composer, Count Jan Antonín Losy of Losinthal, whose family came from Lombardy. He was born in Bohemia, where he spent most of his life, but his fame spread throughout Europe. After he died, he was honoured by his younger colleague, Sylvius Leopold Weiss, who memorialised him with his famous Tombeau. Nowadays, the name of the Count and virtuoso musician (besides the lute, he played the harpsichord and violin superbly) is known especially to lute players. However, even they may be surprised to learn that this album contains compositions with harpsichord, flute and violin. In fact, Losy’s oeuvre is far more varied. According to period sources, many of his compositions were played by chamber ensembles including instruments, such as the violin and a bowed bass instrument. The main performer, Jan Čižmář, reconstructed some of them, using manuscripts scattered all over Europe, and invited his colleagues from the Polish ensemble, Orkiestra historyczna, to take part in the recording. The result is a revealing album that presents Losy’s lute pieces in an unusual sound version for the first time.

Count Losy – a Prince among lutenists.