The Moscow Manuscript, Lute Pieces and Partitas

The Moscow Manuscript by Silvius Leopold Weiss

Preserved at the M. I. Glinka Museum in Moscow, The Moscow Manuscript is a collection of pieces for thirteen-course lute attributed to Silvius Leopold Weiss. Compiled in Russia at least fifteen years after the composer’s death, it was likely copied by Timofei Bielogradski, a former student of Weiss in Dresden and musician in the service of Count Keyserling.

The manuscript contains technically demanding works—some well-known, others unique—organized according to the lute’s various scordaturas. It also includes scales in all keys, exploring the instrument’s harmonic potential. Among the notable pieces, Alternattist stands out for its unusual harmony in D major, although the actual key is D minor.

Silvius Leopold Weiss (1687–1750)

Silvius Leopold Weiss, one of the greatest lutenists of his time, was born in Silesia in 1687. After a stay in Italy, where he met Corelli and the Scarlattis, he settled in Dresden in 1718, becoming the highest-paid lutenist at court. A close acquaintance of J. S. Bach, he contributed to the development of the Baroque lute, notably through the addition of a thirteenth course and the extension of the neck.

Jean-Daniel Forget – IT Specialist, Lutenist

Passionate about the Baroque repertoire, Jean-Daniel Forget is a self-taught lutenist who has spent nearly twenty years copying and sharing early manuscripts. A computer professional by training, he is skilled in music notation software adapted for tablature. In collaboration with Guy Grangereau, he provides tablatures on a dedicated website. He also assisted Miguel Serdoura in preparing his editions and Method for Baroque Lute.

Guy Grangereau – Guitarist, Lutenist

A professional musician, Guy Grangereau studied guitar in Paris with Turibio Santos before further training at the Martenot School. After twenty years of teaching, he now plays a 16-string hybrid instrument and a theorboed Baroque lute. Since 2010, he has collaborated with Jean-Daniel Forget on copying and editing Baroque manuscripts, notably focusing on the works of Silvius Leopold Weiss.

Le Luth Doré Urtext Editions

Le Luth Doré Urtext Editions offer scores faithful to historical sources, optimized for musicians and musicologists. Our editions combine careful engraving, practical layout, durable materials, and detailed critical apparatus in multiple languages.

Each text is rigorously established note by note to ensure an authentic restitution of the works, including original fingerings and ornamentations, as well as relevant stylistic suggestions.

Created by experts, our editions provide clear readability and enlightened interpretation of early music repertoire.

• Editor(s): Jean-Daniel Forget & Guy Grangereau
• Musical period: Baroque
• Instrument(s): 13-course Baroque lute
• Instrumentation: Baroque lute solo
• Notation: French tablature
• Modern edition: Urtext
• Publisher: Éditions Urtext Le Luth Doré
• Year of publication: 2015
• Collection: Lute and Theorbo Music Collection
• Pages: 142 pp.
• Dimensions: 230x310 mm
• Weight: 0.320g
• Binding: Sewn perfect binding
• ISMN: 377-0-0017-8817-3

Preludes: 11.7 (D minor), 2.1 (D Major), 68* (D minor), 71* (G minor)
Andantino: 34.6 (D minor)
Allegros: 66* (A minor), 28.6 (F Major), 22.7 (G Major)
Courantes: 67* (D Major), 36.2 (D minor), 72* (G minor)
Bourrées: 13.4 (D minor), Bourrée (Addendum – London Manuscript)
Sarabandes: 38.4 (A minor), Sarabande (Addendum – Dresden Manuscript)
Polonaises: 2 in F Major, Partita 94 (D minor), Partita 95 (G minor), Partita 97 (F Major)
Partittas: 94 (D minor), 95 (G minor), 96 (G Major), 97 (F Major), 98 (D minor)
Duetto (G Major): Duetto, Duetto primo, Duetto secundo
Paysanne (F Major): Paysanne, Trio
Minuet: D Major
Galanterie: 69* (F minor)
Alternatti: 73* (G minor)
Presto: 70* (B♭ Major)
Scales: 24 scales (all keys)