Sylvius Leopold Weiss

Born in Grottkau near Breslau, the son of Johann Jacob Weiss, also a lutenist, Weiss was one of the most important and most prolific composers of lute music in history and one of the best-known and most technically accomplished lutenists of his day.

[1] Weiss was one of the most important and most prolific composers of lute music in history and one of the best-known and most technically accomplished lutenists of his day.

Bach and Weiss were said to have competed in improvisation, as the following account by Johann Friedrich Reichardt describes: "Anyone who knows how difficult it is to play harmonic modulations and good counterpoint on the lute will be surprised and full of disbelief to hear from eyewitnesses that Weiss, the great lutenist, challenged J.S.

Weiss also wrote chamber pieces and concertos, but only the solo parts have survived for most of them.

His Sonatas 15 and 48 were the inspiration for the painting "The Fruit of the Soul II" by Anelia Pavlova.