Johann Sigismund Weiss

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Johann Sigismund Weiss (* after 1690 in Breslau ; † April 12, 1737 in Mannheim ) was a German composer and lutenist .

Live and act

Johann Sigismund Weiss was born as the son of the lute and theorbo player Johann Jacob Weiss, his siblings were the older Silvius Leopold and Juliana Margaretha. All three siblings were taught to play the lute by their father at a young age. After Silvius Leopold had stayed in Düsseldorf for almost a month at the court of Elector Johann Wilhelm (Jan Wellem) in 1706 , the family also moved to the Rhine around 1708; Probably through the mediation of Silvius Leopold, father and brother found employment in the Electoral Palatinate court orchestra in Düsseldorf. After the death of Elector Johann Wilhelm in 1716, his orchestra was initially disbanded, his successorHowever, Karl Philipp hired Johann Sigismund and his father along with other musicians. In contrast to his predecessor, Karl Philipp spurned Düsseldorf as a residence and first settled in Heidelberg in 1718 , until he finally moved into Mannheim in 1720. In the court orchestra there, Johann Sigismund Weiss held prestigious offices, in 1723 that of Vice Concertmaster and in 1733 that of Concert Director . In parallel with the latter, he was also performed as a concert master .

meaning

Even if Johann Sigismund Weiss did not reach the level and effectiveness of his brother Silvius Leopold, who is considered the best lutenist of his time and, in retrospect, the last great lutenist of European repute, he is one of the forerunners of the Mannheim school , which six years after his untimely death began to develop, as did the new Mannheim court orchestra, which was brought into being in 1747 by Count Palatine Karl Theodor .

Works (selection)

  • Concerto in D minor for oboe and orchestra
  • Concerto in C minor for lute and strings
  • Concert in B flat major for flute and lute (only lute part)
  • Three sonatas in D major for flute and basso continuo
  • Two sonatas for oboe and figured bass

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Weiss, Johann Sigismund
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German composer and lutenist
DATE OF BIRTH after 1690
PLACE OF BIRTH Wroclaw
DATE OF DEATH April 12, 1737
Place of death Mannheim