Born in London, England, Nigel North was Professor of lute at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London), the Royal Conservatory in Den Haag (Netherlands) and the Hochschule der Künste (Berlin). Since 1999 he has been Professor of Lute at the Early Music Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington in the United States. Initially inspired into music at age seven by the early 60’s instrumental pop group ‘The Shadows’, Nigel studied classical music through the violin and guitar, eventually discovering his real path in life, the lute, when he was 15. Basically self-taught on the lute, he has since 1976 developed a unique musical life which embraces activities as a teacher, accompanist, soloist, director and writer. His principal music passions apart from teaching are accompanying singers, the solo lute repertoires of Elizabethan England and late German Baroque music of Bach and Weiss. Recordings include a 4 CD box set Bach on the Lute (Linn Records) and 4 CDs of the lute music of John Dowland (Naxos).

This disc is the second in a new series of four recordings of the lute music of Weiss for BGS records. The first ? titled The Heart Trembles with Pleasure ? was released to great critical acclaim in November 2010; it was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award, and BBC Music Magazine hailed North’s “scrupulously considered yet spontaneous” performances. Future plans with the BGS label also include a three-disc set of lute works by Francesco da Milano.