Nigel North — A Master of the Lute

Born in London, England, Nigel North has played the lute for over fifty years, since the age of fifteen. Teaching and performance have always gone hand in hand; he was Professor of Lute at the Historical Performance Institute (formerly Early Music Institute) of Indiana University, Bloomington (USA), from 1999 to 2024. As of July 2024, he happily returned to Europe and now resides in Ghent, Belgium.

Previous appointments include the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London (1976–1996), the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin (1993–1999), and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague (2006–2009).

Initially inspired at the age of seven by the early 1960s pop instrumental group The Shadows, Nigel North studied classical music through violin and guitar before ultimately discovering his true life path: the lute. Largely self-taught on the instrument, he drew inspiration from Michael Schäffer, Gustav Leonhardt, and the jazz duo Tuck and Patti. Bach’s music has always been his foremost musical passion, especially after a dream at age twelve in which Bach handed him a lute.

After hearing one of his recitals in London, Julian Bream recalled in 2002:

"I remember attending an extraordinary recital—one I wish I could have given myself: it was one of Nigel North’s Bach performances, and I was deeply impressed by both his mastery and musicality. A genuine musical experience, something not always found among guitar and lute players, and quite rare in general."

Nigel North is the author of *Continuo Playing on the Lute, Archlute and Theorbo* (Faber, 1986; Indiana University Press). More recently, in 2024, Le Luth Doré (Paris) published *Bach on the Lute*, Volumes 1 and 2—transcriptions for baroque lute of works BWV 1001–1006, 1007–1012, and the complete lute works BWV 999–1006a. In 2026, his new book *Playing with Patterns: 16th Century Divisions on the Lute* (Oxford University Press) will be released, along with a new edition of John Dowland’s complete lute works, also published by Le Luth Doré (Paris).

Among his recordings are the four-CD box set *Bach on the Lute* (Linn Records), four CDs of John Dowland’s lute music (Naxos), four CDs of Sylvius Weiss’s music (BGS), and two CDs dedicated to Francesco da Milano (BGS). More recently, in April 2023, he released a double CD with "Deux-Elles" featuring Bach’s complete lute works and new transcriptions.

J.S. BACH (1685–1750) ON THE BAROQUE LUTE

Programme:
Suite in C major (based on the 1st Suite for cello, BWV 1007)
Prelude – Allemande – Courante – Sarabande – Menuets 1 & 2 – Gigue

Sonata in A minor (based on the 2nd Sonata for solo violin, BWV 1003)
Grave – Fuga – Andante – Allegro

INTERMISSION

Prelude, Fugue and Allegro (BWV 998)

From the Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach
Preludium (BWV 846)
Menuet (BWV Anh. 114 – Petzold?)
Bist du bei mir (BWV 508 / Anh. 114 – Stölzel?)
Aria (from Goldberg Variations, BWV 988)