Search - Weiss, Hopkinson Smith :: Sylvius Leopold Weiss: Partitas for Lute - Hopkinson Smith

Brilliant - Brilliant - Brilliant!

Dirk Adriaensens | 12/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What can you say when you hear heaven? Weiss, the most inspired lute composer that ever existed, is played here by the most sensitive contemporary luthenist: Hopkinson Smith.If you like the sound of the lute, just buy this one! And if you like Weiss, buy also the Naxos-edition of Robert Barto (Sonatas vol.1+2). Oh, and listen also to Konrad Junghänel. But Hopkinson Smith is the best (You should listen to his interpretations of the works by Ennemond (le vieux)Gautier. Listen.. and enjoy."

Brilliant indeed !

Bart Verweire | Belgium | 03/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is indeed one of the best recordings by Hopkinson Smith, and he is one of the best. Of course, there is also the quality of the music of Weiss. He was, for the lute, what JS Bach was for the organ (and other instruments). If you like this music, you should also try the version of JM.Moreno ('Ars Melancholiae'), which I rate even higher than this record. Not because of technical skills, but because the pieces sound even more like heaven."

Good

Person | hmm | 11/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just listening to the d minor fantasia you can see the imagination and thought that go into Smith's playing. It differs greatly from Roberto Barto's conception for naxos of the same piece. Hopkinson Smith captures a far more improvisitory feel, a much greater sense of extempore performing, as a prelude would have been in Weiss's day. His tone is more rich and warm, but no better than Barto's, only different. I compare him with Barto so much because Barto really has set a bench mark for Weiss performing, even if Smith came first. Its really up to personal taste, I love both players a great deal. I think Smith offers on the whole, a more imaginative, more free, more personal look at these works, while Barto offers a more clear, more rhythmic, more structural one. I recomend starting with the Hopkinson Smith recording shown here and if you love the music, go on to collect the Barto set. Or start with one (very cheaply priced) Barto disk and if you like it, go for this one.



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