From Edition Walhall: “For viola da gamba solo, edited by Silke Strauf. Dietrich Stöeffken (Steffkens) was one of the first German viol players to familiarize himself with the English repertoire for viola da gamba in the 17th century in England. Most of the music is for lyra viol, notated in tablature, and often also requiring scordatura that differs from standard tuning. All the pieces are transcribed in standard tuning into today’s usual musical notation, so that they can be played on a bass viol without any changes. This means that this specific viol music, with its contemplative character, is now accessible to players who are not familiar with tablature. The lyra viol pieces are complemented by two sets of divisions for viola da gamba and basso continuo by Stöeffken, which are particularly attractive and comfortable to play. The edition is based primarily on the Goëss A manuscript, which is available to view online; a facsimile supplement shows the other sources used. Overall, the level of difficulty is moderate.”