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.
for: Guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383072
for: Guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383319
op. 31/23
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 727143
op. 44/24
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 727137
op. 32/1
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 727139
Gitarre-Soli 38
for: Guitar
Ensemble score
Item no.: 487276
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1542420
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 144357
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 743070
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 722502
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 722505
for: 3 guitars
Ensemble score
Item no.: 347899
for: Guitar or Lute
Score
Item no.: 412500
for: Guitar or Lute
Score
Item no.: 394078
for: Guitar or Lute
Score
Item no.: 412715
for: Guitar or Lute
Score
Item no.: 412600
for: Guitar or Lute
Score
Item no.: 341812
for: Guitar
Item no.: 119106
Sudien und Übungen
for: Guitar
Score, CD
Item no.: 257459
Per Chitarra
for: Guitar [lute]
Music score
Item no.: 260212
12 sehr leichte Übungenop. 35/1
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393679
über das Thema "Das klinget so herrlich"op. 9
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393725
Klassik
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 939575
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393616
(Der Abschied) - Fantasie Nr. 6op. 21
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393829
12 Übungen (mittelschwer)op. 35/2
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393681
aus op. 5
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393831
aus Mozarts Zauberflöte
for: Guitar
Item no.: 355216
for: Guitar
Item no.: 355215
über ein Thema von Mozartop. 9
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393975
op. 6
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393675
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393964
op. 31
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393677
Sudien und Übungen
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 257418
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393617
op. 6
for: Guitar
Item no.: 355163
aus op. 22
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393835
op. 29
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393676
A-Dur, D-Duraus op. 11/5 und 6
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393833
aus op. 31 und op. 35
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393832
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393836
aus op. 45
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393830
aus der Sonate op. 22
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393886
for: Violin, guitar
Item no.: 127537
Sudien und Übungen
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 259575
op. 31
for: Guitar
Item no.: 393678
op. 29
for: Guitar
Item no.: 355164
Sudien und Übungen
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 259533