Fernando Sor

The popularity of the guitar has never waned and the sun-drenched sound of Spanish guitar music is one of the instrument’s most popular incarnations. At the helm of performers of this style of guitar music is Narciso Yepes who recorded vast amounts of guitar music for Deutsche Gramophon. This collection brings together some of the gems from among these recordings and indeed, from the body of work for Spanish guitar.

The French-born guitarist Roland Dyens began studying his instrument at the age of nine. By age 33, he was listed as one of the world’s best by The Guitarist Magazine. Dyens is currently a professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. Known also as a brilliant arranger, Dyens has chosen some of the most memorable guitar repertoire by late 18th and early 19th - century composers and arranged it for solo guitar and string quartet, specifically the Quatuor Arthur LeBlanc: seven études by the 19th century Catalan composer Fernando Sor; and one of the six Rossiniana composed by Mauro Giuliani on themes from Rossini operas. Dyens also performs Giuliani’s Variations on a Theme by Handel and Sor’s Grand Solo, opus 14 for solo guitar.

Fernando Sor was born at a time when the guitar enjoyed increasing prominence. He differed from other virtuoso-composers for the instrument such as Giuliani and Carulli due to his far greater sense of harmonic refinement. Sor’s studies and exercises have been fundamental to guitarists for two centuries, and his sequence of Themes and Variations are his best-known compositions. His three collections based on popular French melodies have enjoyed popularity as has Les Folies d’Espagne avec Variations et un Menuet, but his masterpiece remains the Introduction et Variations sur un Thème de Mozart, a sublime example of his skill.

Sergio Abreu plays Paganini's Grand Sonata and nine Etudes by Fernando Sor

Fernando Sor, an unparalleled figure in the classical guitar world, revolutionized guitar composition by emulating the rich textures of orchestral music. Educated at the prestigious Escolania de Montserrat and guided by Father Anselm Viola, Sor’s works reflect his profound understanding of counterpoint and polyphony, reminiscent of Haydn’s influence. His innovative techniques, from the use of natural harmonics to polyphonic textures, transformed the guitar into an instrument capable of producing a spectrum of orchestral sounds. This album with Xavier Díaz Latorre features some of Sor’s most exquisite pieces, including Les Folies d’Espagne, Op. 15 and Variations Brillantes sur un Air Favori de Mozart, Op. 9, showcasing his compositional brilliance and the evocative power of his music. Each track is a testament to Sor’s legacy, blending classical elegance with expressive depth, offering listeners an extraordinary auditory experience.