Are you a fan of the wonderful Spanish composer Fernando Sor (1778-1839), who François-Joseph Fétis dubbed “the Beethoven of the guitar”? Browse our sheet music and scores, and discover the wide world of the composer who first brought the guitar to Europe’s concert halls with Stretta Music today!
Fernando Sor was born into a military family, but any thoughts of a military career were swiftly extinguished when his father introduced him to Italian Opera. It was also his father who introduced him to the guitar, an instrument that at the time, was only really played at home, in bars and in canteens. He studied harmony and counterpoint, but since it was not yet taught academically, Sor had to teach himself to play the guitar.
Unfortunately, Sor did not fit in well in the musical circles of Charles IV’s court, but luckily he was accepted into the artistic circle of the 13th Duchess of Alba, where he met and worked with musicians like Dionisio Aguado . During the French invasion, in line with the oath of allegiance he swore to Napoleon I in 1810, Sor composed mainly nationalist music, and in 1813, when the French were expelled from Spain, he was sent into exile.
His first stop was Paris, where Fernando Sor’s works were published in the “Journal de Musique Étrangère pour la Guitare ou Lyre”, the “Journal of Foreign Music for Guitar or Lyre”, which made him very popular. Despite his popularity, he was not offered a position as composer for the band of the King of France’s Court, so he moved to London, where he had many more musical opportunities, and quickly distinguished himself as a singing teacher, and composer of Italian Arias and Ballet.
After a stay in Russia, Sor returned permanently to Paris in 1826, where he continued to compose and wrote his Método de guitarra española, his “Method of the Spanish Guitar”. He died in Paris in 1839 and is buried in Montmartre Cemetery.
He is best known for the Fernando Sor Guitar Works, and out of his friendship and collaboration with Dionisio Aguado came the wonderful work for two guitars Les Deux Amis, “The Two Friends”, in which the two guitar parts are written as “Sor” and “Aguado”.
Fernando Sor wrote in the classic style, very much influenced by the French “style galant”. He used many “suspensions” in his music, similar to those of Haydn and Mozart. Today however, Sor’s works are generally performed in a more romantic style. Alongside his guitar works, his ballets, choral music and orchestral works are particularly popular.
aus op. 31 und op. 35
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393832
12 sehr leichte Übungenop. 35/1
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393679
Introduktion und Variationen über "Das klinget so herrlich" aus "Die Zauberflöte"op. 9
for: Guitar
Item no.: 604433
from the Hudleston Manuscripts
for: Voice, guitar
Ensemble score
Item no.: 564989
op. 12
for: Guitar
Item no.: 602636
Variationen op. 9 über ein Thema von W. A. Mozart
Eine Sammlung aus dem Repertoire von Siegflied Behrend
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1019112
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1019424
Volume 1
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1019215
Gitarre-Bibliothek Nr. 55
for: Guitar
Item no.: 200158
for: Guitar
Item no.: 108088
for: Guitar
Item no.: 119106
nach der Studie h-moll, op. 35, 22
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 1025158
nach der Studie h-moll, op. 35, 22
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 1209003
for: Classical
Score
Item no.: 254226
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 253325
for: 3 guitars
Item no.: 346594
for: Guitar or Lute
Score
Item no.: 412715
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 866769
for: Classical guitar
Single edition
Item no.: 770718
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 971896
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1019422
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1019348
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1019331
for: Classical guitar
Item no.: 205318
for: 4 guitars (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 129644
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1114491
pour la Guitare, op.20
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1555556
Sudien und Übungen
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 269905
for: High voice, piano [guitar]
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 1633278
Ensemble score
Item no.: 149525
Heft 7: Etüden
for: Classical guitar
Item no.: 418243
Sudien und Übungen
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 391194
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1031362
Estudio Es-Dur
for: Guitar
Single edition
Item no.: 460425
for: Classical guitar
Score
Item no.: 271024
aus op. 22
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393835
op. 63
for: 2 guitars
Item no.: 357039
Klassik
for: Guitar
Item no.: 461334
op.6 & op.29
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 768379
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1019061
op. 63
for: für 2 Gitarren
Item no.: 620669
Klassik
for: Guitar
Item no.: 310741
Koenige Der Gitarre
for: Guitar
Item no.: 181989
Klassik
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1541005
for: Classical
Score
Item no.: 254334
for: Classical
Score
Item no.: 254180
for: Classical
Score
Item no.: 253988
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 390820