Matthäus Waissel
Matthaus Waissel (c.1540 — 1602). German lutenist and composer. Waissel was from 1573 headmaster of a school at Schippenbeil near Königsberg; he published in that year a volume of lute arrangements of vocal pieces, and in 1592 he issued a collection of German dances for lute, which signaled the decline of German lute tablature as it yielded prominence to the so-called French system. Waissel's output comprises three books of solo lute music in all, and one collection of duets. Waissel's chief importance arguably lies in his expansion of the passamezzo/saltarello pairing into full suites that in form, if not title, comprise some of the earliest true dance suites.
Recordings
Konrad Ragossnig - European Lute Music from England, Italy, Spain, Germany etc. 2000, Deutsche Grammophon