Symposium on the lute

Habsburg lute music of the 17th and 18th centuries

A collaboration between the German Lute Society and the University of the Arts Bremen.

With Tim Crawford, Joachim Held, Hubert Hoffmann, Jan Čižmář, Anna Wiktoria Swoboda, Michael Treder, Tobias Tietze and Grzegorz Joachimiak, under the direction of Prof. Joachim Held.

“The Habsburg rulers' love of music also led to outstanding compositions in the field of lute music,” explains Joachim Held. "Today, we find a treasure trove of lute music, especially in monasteries. Particularly noteworthy examples include Raigern, Grüssau, Seitenstetten, Kremsmünster, and the castles of the Lobkowitz family and Rohrau Castle. Emperor Joseph I also played the lute himself and was a great patron of the instrument."

The symposium organized by Held focuses on compositions from this period, for example by Lauffensteiner, Fischer, Weichenberger, Reusner, Hinterleithner, Radolt, and Biechteler. “From some manuscripts, we also have instructions on playing technique and ornamentation, and from Biechteler, in addition to his individual view of some compositions, we also have some information on basso continuo practice, which he passed on as a teacher.”

All this knowledge has resulted in the following program for the symposium “Habsburg Lute Music” at the HfK Bremen on September 22 and 23, 2025.