Fernando Sor (1778-1839) was a Catalan composer and virtuoso guitarist of the early Romantic era, yet his aesthetic roots were firmly planted in the Classical period of Haydn and Mozart. His monumental Méthode pour la Guitare (1830) and his 90-plus original studies (Opp. 6, 29, 31, 35, 44, 60) were designed not merely as finger exercises but as short, elegant musical miniatures. Each study addresses a specific technical challenge—slurs, arpeggios, left-hand shifting, or voice leading—while cloaked in graceful, balanced phrases. Sor’s ideal sound was one of clarity, restraint, and classical galant charm. He abhorred the flamboyant, virtuosic excesses of his contemporary, Paganini. For Sor, the study was a musical poem, not a gymnasium.
Whether on an iPad or a music stand, the 20 Sor Studies will humble you, heal your technique, and reveal the soul of the guitar. Start with No. 1. Be patient. And always listen for the singing line that Segovia heard a century ago. segovia 20 sor studies pdf
(Original Sor Op. 6, No. 12) Focus: Expressive playing and mordents (ornamentation). Fernando Sor (1778-1839) was a Catalan composer and
Often hosts user-uploaded copies of the Curci edition. For Sor, the study was a musical poem, not a gymnasium
Speed is a byproduct of accuracy. Use a metronome to ensure rhythmic precision.
is the father of the modern classical guitar. He resurrected the instrument from salons to concert halls. In 1928, Segovia curated a list of 20 of Sor’s 120+ studies, re-fingering them for the modern guitar (Sor originally wrote for a slightly different gut-string instrument). Segovia added dynamic markings, slur indications, and shifted fingerings to prioritize left-hand efficiency.