The process of arranging Silvius Leopold Weiss’ solo lute works for guitar from the Rohrau collection

Here you can access my master's dissertation entitled "The process of arranging Silvius Leopold Weiss” solo lute works for guitar from the Rohrau collection", which was submitted in 2013 as the conclusion of my Master's degree of Arts at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg:

Dissertation abstract

Silvius Leopold Weiss was the most prolific composer in the history of lute music, leaving behind a vast body of work comprising over 650 compositions. The discovery of a collection of manuscripts containing lute music by Weiss and other composers in the archives of Rohrau Castle, Austria, as well as their connection to the city of Salzburg and the lutenist Matthias Siegmund Biechteler, raises intriguing questions. Although Weiss composed far more works for the lute than his contemporary Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach's lute works are much more popular among guitarists, suggesting that the difficulties of adapting Weiss' works for the guitar may play a role. The dissertation aims to explore the possibilities of adapting Weiss' lute compositions for the guitar, with a suite in D minor chosen as a case study to illustrate the adaptation process. The work consists of three chapters providing basic information about Weiss' musical style, the peculiarities of the Baroque lute, and the theoretical foundations for adaptation to the guitar. It also discusses problems due to differences between the instruments and provides examples of potential adaptations from the Rohrau collection, with an emphasis on preserving the original characteristics.