Fernando Sor (born 14 February 1778 – died 10 July 1839) was a Spanish classical guitarist and composer from the late 1700s and early 1800s. He is best known for writing music for the classical guitar. He also composed an opera when he was 19 years old, three symphonies, guitar duets, piano music, songs, a Mass, and two successful ballets: Cinderella, which was performed more than 100 times, and Hercule et Omphale.

Because Sor was a highly skilled classical guitar player, other musicians of his time believed he was the best in the world. He created music that helped guitar players of all skill levels learn. His famous pieces include Twelve Studies Op. 6, Twelve Studies Op. 29, Progressive Lessons Op. 31, and Very Easy Exercises Op. 35. These works have been played for 200 years and are often reprinted. His more advanced concert pieces, such as Introduction and Variations on Mozart's "Das klinget so herrlich" Op. 9, are part of the challenging guitar repertoire.

Unlike modern classical guitar players, Sor used smaller, slimmer "Romantic" guitars that were popular before the modern standards set by Torres. He rarely used his ring finger on his plucking hand, only for harmony and never for melody. He avoided using nails on that hand.

Variance of name

As Sor's works were published in many countries, his name was translated into different languages, which caused his last name to be spelled in various ways. These included Joseph Fernando Macario Sors, Ferdinand Sor, Ferdinando Sor, and later, Ferran Sor. His family name also appears in different forms in other documents from that time, and there is no clear record showing that he approved or used these variations. However, in the marriage certificate and other documents of his grandfather, which include records of his great-grandfathers, the name is always written as "Sor." This is also true for the oldest known document about one of his great-grandfathers.

Biography

Fernando Sor was born in Barcelona to a relatively wealthy family. His full name, as recorded in a baptismal document, was José Fernando Macario Sors. However, in most of his written and printed music, he used the names Fernando Sor or Ferdinand Sor. Only in a few cases did his surname appear as Sors.

Sor came from a family with a long history of soldiers. He originally planned to follow this path, but his father introduced him to Italian opera. He became deeply interested in music and chose to pursue it instead of a military career. His father also taught him to play the guitar.

When Sor was very young, his parents did not give much attention to his musical talents, fearing it might distract him from studying Latin. At the age of about 11, he began writing songs in Latin to impress his parents. He also created his own system for writing music, as he had not yet received formal training.

At around 11 or 12 years old, the head of the Barcelona Cathedral noticed Sor’s talent and enrolled him in the cathedral’s school. Soon after, his father died, leaving his mother unable to pay for his education there. However, Joseph Arredondo, the new abbot of the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery, learned of Sor’s abilities and provided money for him to attend the monastery’s choir school. Sor later wrote that he had strong, nostalgic memories of his time there. However, his mother eventually removed him from the monastery, following advice from friends, and sent him to military school for four years. During this time, he still had time to compose music.

In 1808, when Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain, Sor began writing patriotic music for the guitar, often with lyrics that supported Spanish independence. He joined traveling military bands that performed protest songs in public. He was also promoted to captain in Córdoba and may have fought against the French. After the Spanish army was defeated, Sor accepted a job in the French government. He was labeled an afrancesado, a term for Spaniards who supported French ideas instead of defending Spain. When the Spanish drove the French out in 1813, Sor and other afrancesados fled Spain to avoid punishment. He moved to Paris and never returned to Spain again.

In France, Sor finally focused on music. He became famous as a skilled guitarist and composer. However, when he tried writing operas, he was not accepted by French audiences. One of his works, Op. 7, was complex and difficult to play, written in three clefs, which few guitarists could handle. When France no longer supported his music, Sor decided to try other places.

In 1815, he moved to London to build a stronger music career. He became well-known as a classical guitarist and taught lessons. Since ballet was more popular than opera in London, Sor tried writing ballet music. He had success with his ballet Cendrillon.

By 1823, after gaining fame in London, Sor and his wife, the ballerina Félicité Hullin, moved to Moscow. She hoped to become a leading dancer. Little is known about his time there, despite some exaggerated stories about his personal life. After three years in Moscow, he traveled across Europe, performing concerts and joining music communities.

In 1827, Sor returned to Paris and settled there for the rest of his life. During this time, he composed most of his guitar works. However, he had to write music that was simple and easy to play, as that was what most guitarists wanted. In his later years, he expressed frustration in his writings about how his music was received. For example, his work Op. 43 was titled Mes Ennuis (“My Annoyances”), and six of his ballets were dedicated to “whoever wants them.” His writings also included sarcastic remarks, such as in the foreword to Op. 45, which said, “Let’s see if that’s that. Six short and easy pieces in stages, which aim to lead to what has generally been agreed are difficulties. Composed and dedicated to the person with the least patience, by Fernando Sor. Opus 45.”

Sor’s final work was a mass to honor his daughter, who died in 1837. Her death deeply affected him, and he fell into serious depression. He died in 1839 from cancer of the tongue and throat.

Quotations

François-Joseph Fétis called him "the Beethoven of the guitar," though he also noted that Sor once did not produce a good tone.

— The Sonata in the Classical Era (published 1963) (p. 664) by William S. Newman
— Sor's Guitar Sonatas: Form and Style by Stanley Yates
— Fernando Sor – Master Composer For Guitar?

Works

One of Sor's well-known compositions is his Introduction and Variations on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 9. This piece is based on the melody from "Das klinget so herrlich, das klinget so schön!" in The Magic Flute, which was composed in 1791.

Sor was a very productive and popular composer during his time. There was strong interest in his work to create music that was easy for less experienced players to learn. The collection of instructional studies he wrote is valuable for guitar students and also shows great musical quality. These studies are organized into several opus numbers, listed in order of increasing difficulty: Op. 60 (25 lessons), Op. 44 (24 lessons), Op. 35 (24 exercises), Op. 31 (24 lessons), Op. 6 (12 studies), and Op. 29 (12 studies).

Sor's Méthode pour la Guitare was first published in Paris in 1830. It was translated into English by A Merrick in 1832 and titled Method for the Spanish Guitar.

Instruments used by Sor

Fernando Sor, a famous guitarist, played guitars made by Pierre René Lacôte. He once said, "M. Lacote, a French maker, is the only person who, in addition to his talent, has shown me that he is open to discussion." Some guitars made by Lacôte have Sor's signature on them. For example, a guitar signed by Sor is now in the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, catalog number 2521. Another example is in private ownership and was displayed at the London Early Music Instrument Makers Exhibition in 1991. Sor also used his name on guitars made by Louis Panormo of London. However, none of these guitars are known as "Sor models."

A guitar made by Lacôte that Sor signed is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In his guitar method, Sor wrote that "J. Panormo" of London and "Mr. Schroeder of Petersburg" made some guitars based on his ideas. However, Sor only mentioned them in connection with his own guitar designs. Today, some of these designs are viewed with criticism. Guitars made exactly according to Sor's designs have not yet been found.

Andrés Segovia chose a set of twenty studies by Sor, each focusing on a specific guitar technique. These studies are now among the most well-known works of Fernando Sor.

Selected recordings

• Fernando Sor: Complete Studies for Guitar, performed by Enea Leone, recorded on: Brilliant Classics 94791 (three-disc set, 2014). Includes all of the works from Opp. 6, 29, 31, 35, 44, 60.
• Fernando Sor: Piéces pour la Guitare, performed by Xavier Diaz-Latorre on a historical guitar made by Blaise le Jeune (around 1840) using gut strings, recorded on: [1].