luteduo.com

Luteduo performs on several historical plucked instruments rather than a single one. According to the duo's own biography, their work centers on the Baroque lute, but extends to the theorbo, Baroque guitar, and 19th-century romantic guitar. The instrument choice follows the repertoire: Baroque lute duets for the earliest programs, mixed historical plucked instruments for "Baroque Insight," and gut-strung 19th-century guitar copies for Romantic-era works.

Baroque Lute

The Baroque lute is the duo's core instrument. Luteduo states that Anna and Anton came together specifically to draw attention to the neglected duo repertoire for the Baroque lute duo.

A notable detail from the biography: for their Johann Sebastian Bach project, the duo uses two 24-string Baroque lutes. That project covers solo lute works, lute versions of solo violin and cello compositions, and transcriptions of other instrumental works by Bach.

Theorbo and Baroque Guitar

Beyond the lute, Luteduo works on duo repertoire for other combinations of historical plucked instruments, especially Baroque guitar and theorbo.

This combination supports the program "Baroque Insight," which the duo describes as showcasing contrasting styles across cultures:

19th-Century Romantic Guitar

More recent activity moves forward in time to 19th-century music for romantic guitar. Here the duo uses copies of 6-string guitars by the 19th-century maker Rene Lete, strung with gut strings.

The repertoire for this setup includes works by J.K. Mertz, F. Sor, F. Chopin, and Napoleon Coste. The duo names the transcription of César Franck's organ work Prelude Fugue & Variation, op.18 as the high point of this program.

Why the Instrument Choice Matters

Each instrument or combination maps onto a specific period and repertoire:

• Baroque lute (including 24-string versions) — Baroque lute duets, Bach solo and transcribed works
• Theorbo and Baroque guitar — Italian, Spanish, and French Baroque styles in one program
• Gut-strung 6-string romantic guitar — 19th-century guitar repertoire and transcriptions

The duo has presented these programs across Europe, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Switzerland.

Luteduo is a Baroque lute duo formed by Anna Kowalska and Anton, dedicated to the long-neglected duo repertoire for Baroque lute. Their programs span newly discovered duet compositions, transcriptions of viola da gamba works, Italian and Spanish Baroque plucked-instrument music, the solo and instrumental works of J.S. Bach, and 19th-century Romantic guitar repertoire. If you want to know what you would actually hear at a Luteduo concert or on their recordings, the repertoire falls into four broad areas described below.

Baroque lute duets and transcriptions

The duo's founding purpose was to draw attention to duo repertoire for the Baroque lute that had been largely overlooked. Their work in this area includes:

• François du Fault duets — Luteduo were the first to perform and record the recently discovered duet compositions of François du Fault.
• Marin Marais transcriptions — They also transcribed Marais' duet compositions for viola da gamba for two Baroque lutes.
• These efforts produced the program "Baroque Lute Duets," released on CD in 2002.

Cross-cultural Baroque program: "Baroque Insight"

After the initial duet project, the duo expanded into repertoire for other combinations of historical plucked instruments, particularly Baroque guitar and theorbo. The program "Baroque Insight" is built around contrasting national styles:

The program moves from the solemn music of the great Italian lute and theorbo players to the temperamental style of the first Spanish guitar virtuosi, and on to the melancholic mood of the French Baroque masters.

The Bach project

Luteduo has undertaken a large project devoted to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. It covers:

• Solo works for lute, including lute versions of the solo violin and cello compositions
• Transcriptions of other instrumental works by Bach for two 24-string Baroque lutes

19th-century Romantic guitar

More recent activity turns to 19th-century music for Romantic guitar. The musicians use copies of 6-string guitars by the 19th-century maker René Lete, strung with gut strings, to perform:

• J.K. Mertz
• F. Sor
• F. Chopin
• Napoleon Coste

The high point of this program is a transcription of César Franck's organ work Prelude, Fugue & Variation, op. 18.

Where they have performed

Anna and Anton have presented these programs across Europe, performing in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Switzerland.

About the performers

Anna Kowalska studied lute with Toyohiko Satoh and Nigel North at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, The Netherlands. Her repertoire ranges from the Renaissance to the late Baroque, including 19th-century repertoire for historical guitar. Beyond the lute, she has studied and performed on classical guitar, piano, and violin — a diversity that continually fuels her interest in moving beyond the limits of original instrumental works for Baroque guitar and lute.

Luteduo is a Baroque lute duo made up of two musicians, Anna and Anton, who formed the ensemble to bring attention to the long-neglected duo repertoire for Baroque lute. The site's bio page names Anna Kowalska in full and gives her training and range; Anton appears only by first name in the available material.

Anna Kowalska

Anna Kowalska is the member whose background is documented in detail on the Luteduo bio page.

• Lute studies: She studied lute with Toyohiko Satoh and Nigel North at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Netherlands.
• Repertoire range: Her playing covers a vast repertoire from the Renaissance through the late Baroque, and extends into 19th-century repertoire for historical guitar.
• Other instruments: Beyond the lute, she has studied and performed on classical guitar, piano, and violin. According to the bio, this diversity continually fuels her interest in moving beyond the limits of original instrumental works for Baroque guitar and lute.

Anton

Anton is the second half of the duo. The available bio material identifies him as Anna's partner in Luteduo but does not give his surname, training, or instrument history. Any further detail about him would need to come from another page on the site.

What the Duo Does Together

The two members are described as united by a mutual fascination with music written during the final years of the lute's history. Their joint work includes:

• Being the first to perform and record the recently discovered duet compositions of François du Fault, as well as transcriptions of Marin Marais' duet viola da gamba compositions for two Baroque lutes. This became the program "Baroque Lute Duets," released on CD in 2002.
• Building duo repertoire for other combinations of historical plucked instruments, especially Baroque guitar and theorbo, in a program called "Baroque Insight."
• A large project devoted to J.S. Bach, covering solo lute works (including lute versions of solo violin and cello compositions) and transcriptions of other instrumental works for two 24-string Baroque lutes.
• 19th-century music for romantic guitar, played on copies of 6-string guitars by 19th-century maker René Lete strung with gut strings, featuring works by J.K. Mertz, F. Sor, F. Chopin, and Napoléon Coste, with a transcription of César Franck's Prelude Fugue & Variation, op.18 as a high point.

The duo has presented these programs across Europe, performing in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Switzerland.

Quick Reference

If you want to confirm Anton's full name and background, the most reliable route is to check other sections of luteduo.com or the duo's CD liner notes, since the bio page itself stops at first name.

Luteduo's documented recording output centers on one CD: Baroque Lute Duets, released in 2002. That release grew out of the duo's work as the first to perform and record the recently discovered duet compositions of François du Fault, alongside transcriptions of Marin Marais' duet viola da gamba compositions for two Baroque lutes. Beyond that disc, the site describes several themed concert programs rather than additional recordings, and it lists performances across fourteen European countries.

The 2002 CD: Baroque Lute Duets

The recording is the concrete release named on luteduo.com. Its distinguishing feature is the source material:

• Duet compositions by François du Fault that the duo describes as recently discovered
• Transcriptions of Marin Marais' duet viola da gamba works, arranged for two Baroque lutes
• The duo states it was the first to perform and record these du Fault duets

If you are looking for a single entry point into Luteduo's recorded work, this is the one the site identifies by name and year.

Concert Programs Beyond the CD

The site presents later work as programs rather than as released recordings, so treat these as repertoire descriptions rather than a discography.

Baroque Insight

A program built on contrast between national styles, moving through:

• Solemn music of Italian lute and theorbo players — Alessandro Piccinini and Girolamo Kapsberger
• The temperamental style of the first Spanish guitar virtuosi — Gaspar Sanz and Santiago de Murcia
• The melancholic mood of French Baroque masters — R. de Visée and F. Couperin

The Bach Project

A large project devoted to Johann Sebastian Bach, covering solo lute works — including lute versions of solo violin and cello compositions — and transcriptions of other instrumental works by Bach for two 24-string Baroque lutes.

Historical Plucked Instruments Beyond the Lute

The duo also works on duo repertoire for other combinations of historical plucked instruments, especially Baroque guitar and theorbo.

19th-Century Romantic Guitar

More recent activity turns to 19th-century music for romantic guitar. The musicians use copies of six-string guitars by the 19th-century maker Rene Lete, strung with gut strings, performing works by J. K. Mertz, F. Sor, F. Chopin, and Napoleon Coste. The program's high point is a transcription of César Franck's organ work Prelude, Fugue & Variation, op. 18.

Performance Range

The duo reports having presented these programs across Europe, performing in:

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Switzerland.

What the Site Does Not Specify

The page evidence covers the 2002 CD and the concert programs but does not list recording labels, catalogue numbers, purchase or streaming links, or dates for individual performances. If you need those details, they are not established by this source.

Who Is Behind the Recordings

The duo is Anna Kowalska and Anton. Anna Kowalska studied lute with Toyohiko Satoh and Nigel North at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, and her repertoire spans the Renaissance to late Baroque, including 19th-century historical guitar repertoire; she has also studied and performed on classical guitar, piano, and violin.

Luteduo is the official site of a Baroque lute duo formed by Anna and Anton, dedicated to the long-neglected repertoire written for two Baroque lutes. The site is informational rather than commercial: it introduces the musicians, their mission, their programs, and their recordings. It is aimed at listeners and followers of early music, particularly those interested in lute and historical plucked instruments.

Who runs it

The duo consists of Anna and Anton, who came together around a shared fascination with music written "during the final twilight hours of the lute's bright history." Their stated purpose is to draw attention to a duo repertoire that had been largely overlooked.

The bio page gives detail on Anna Kowalska's background: she studied lute with Toyohiko Satoh and Nigel North at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, and her repertoire spans the Renaissance through the late Baroque, including 19th-century music for historical guitar. She has also studied and performed on classical guitar, piano, and violin.

What the duo is known for

According to the site, Luteduo were the first to perform and record:

• Recently discovered duet compositions by Francois du Fault
• Transcriptions of Marin Marais' duet viola da gamba compositions, arranged for two Baroque lutes

That work produced the program Baroque Lute Duets, released on CD in 2002.

Programs and repertoire

The duo later expanded into repertoire for other combinations of historical plucked instruments, especially Baroque guitar and theorbo.

Performance history

The site states that Anna and Anton have presented these programs across Europe, with performances listed in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Switzerland.

What you will and won't find on the site

The page is a biography and activity overview. It describes the duo's mission, repertoire, and touring record. It does not present pricing, ticketing, or account features, and the available material does not indicate any commercial or login-gated services. If you are looking for background on the duo, their programs, or their 2002 recording, the bio page is the relevant entry point.