The German lutenist Silvius Leopold Weiss and the Viennese mandolinist Johann Hoffmann
were considered the greatest virtuosos of their day in their respective fields. Inspired by the
composer’s free treatment of some of his own works, the two virtuosic Sonatas by Weiss are
here performed in versions for lute and mandolin, while the two melodious sonatas for
mandolin and bass (here performed on a lute) by Hoffmann reflect the renaissance of the sixcourse
mandolin experienced in cultivated Viennese circles at the turn of the 19th century.