S.L. Weiss: Capriccio G-dur (Bernhard Hofstötter)

J.S. Bach or S.L. Weiss? In September 2021, Sotheby‘s sold an important baroque lute manuscript to the British Library. Among a good number of unique pieces, the manuscript contains an unattributed Capriccio. The Capriccio was most probably written by S.L. Weiss, whose pieces are well represented in the manuscript. The recurring theme of this virtuosic Capriccio is seemingly based on the opening bars of Bach’s celebrated Prelude from BWV 1006/1006a. Or maybe the opening bars of BWV 1006/1006a are based on the theme of this Capriccio? Is the Capriccio Weiss´s take on BWV 1006/1006a, possibly discrediting the traditional view that BWV 1006a was written for the lute? Is it yet another proof of a prolific musical cooperation between Bach and Weiss? Of course, there are no answers to these (and many other) questions raised by this Capriccio, at least not for the time being. But the music speaks for itself. This is the first recording of this intriguing Capriccio.