Here I open-up a new lute book, a new chapter, in my studies of the baroque lute music in Vienna. Johann Theodor Herold (1650 – 1720), Court Kapellmeister in the Electorate of Mainz (Germany), composed the “Harmonia quadripartita” to celebrate the victory of the Habsburg-Roman King Joseph (in 1705, Joseph becam Joseph I. Holy Roman Emperor) during the conquest of the Fortress Landau (German-French border) in 1702.
An inscript on page 3 of the baroque lute manuscript says (English translation) “In the ears of the most serene highness most powerful Roman king, in the Arce Suiccardiana, sounding more softly, after the successful and glorious conquest of [the Fortress] Landau”.
Apparently, Herold’s hand written baroque lute music was perfomed in front the Habsburg-Roman King Joseph in 1702.
I play the Entreé of the Partia prima on a 2022 copy of a lute made 1699 in Vienna by Andreas Berr. The design of this small 11 course gut-strung lute with double frets has been described in LUTE NEWS no. 146 August 2023.

Echo - PS Herold JCuW RU

Viennalute B