Baroque

The lute is a plucked string instrument with a fretted neck and a deep round back. It originated from an instrument originally developed in Persia (Iran) called the Barbat which was also the ancestor of the superficially similar oud. The words lute and oud are both derived from Arabic al‘ud, meaning “the wood". The player of a lute is called a lutenist, and a maker of lutes is called a luthier. The Baroque Lute was developed around 1650. At first it had 11 courses of strings (in a tuning based on a d-minor triad). Important composers for the Lute of the 18th century included Sylvius Leopold Weiss (a friend of J.S.Bach), Karl Kohaut, and Joachim Bernhard Hagen. After 1800, the Baroque Lute fell into neglect with a few works still being composed for it until its revival in the 20th century.

Notable composers of lute music include Francesco Canova da Milano, John Dowland, John Johnson, Denis Gaultier, Johann Sebastian Bach, Sylvius Leopold Weiss, Philip Rosseter, Thomas Campion, Joseph Haydn, Johannes Hieronymus Kapsberger, Robert de Visйe, Alessandro Piccinini, Karl Kohaut.

Many historical lute pieces were published, but many others are found only in manuscripts, perhaps belonging to the composer or perhaps belonging to some amateur lutenist who would copy in unpublished songs, or have a renowned guest indict

a new composition while visiting. These lute books are generally known by name, such as Jane