WEEK 4: Fernando Sor for Everyone!!
WELCOME TO THE MAIN THREAD FOR THE LAST WEEK OF "Ferndando Sor" PRACTICE CHALLENGE!
- Select a mesmerizing piece from Fernando Sor! Whether it be a delicate Sor etude, a powerful solo work , or a little miniature, the repertoire is in your hands
- Dedicate yourself to consistent practice and share your musical evolution with our community. Aim for daily practice sessions and upload a minimum of two videos each week to document your progress. This will not only fuel your dedication but will also allow us to partake in your musical expedition within our tonebase family!
- Contribute your most cherished performance or recording that resonates with the "Sor Guitar Soiree." Your contribution will not only motivate but also help curate a diverse anthology of pieces for our members to discover and enjoy..
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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Two Menuets from Op 24 (Nov 30)
The first video here is an update of the Menuet Andantino Lento No 1 that I have already been playing this week. The biggest difference here, perhaps, is that I have it memorized.
The second video is the Menuet Andante No 6 from the same opus. This is my first time ever playing a piece with the sixth string tuned to F. It was actually not as disorienting as I thought it might be. Eventually this needs to be a bit faster. This piece reminds me a lot of Sor’s Op 11 No 4, which I worked on in a previous challenge. I’m surprised that I don’t hear this opus played more often.
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Jack Stewart Yes, Steve didn’t follow through on his offer. I wanted a Lacote for that tuning. It’s pretty disappointing, frankly.
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Two Menuets (Op 24 No 1 and 6)
I think I’ll make this my last post for this challenge. I was able to bring the tempo of number 6 up a bit.
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Eric Phillips Enjoyed both of these menuets very much Eric. Well done!
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Eric Phillips Very nice Eric. Both pieces are very enjoyable to listen. Bravo
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Eric Phillips Bravo, both are well played and are a great addition to all others you already have played... next time you'll have to fill up op.24 with 2-3-4-5!
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Jim King Andre Bernier Blaise Laflamme Thanks, guys! Maybe someday I'll get to the other pieces in the opus.
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Sor etude Op. 31.18
I just recently became really enamored with this etude. It has a very unusual harmonic structure for Sor. I have been attracted to it for a while and would occasionally read thru it. I considered it sort of an oddity but lately I feel I have begun to understand it at a deeper level and find it really beautiful. I am close to having an interpretation I am happy with, though it certainly needs more work and time to grow. I have found it to be quite difficult, though not technically. The irregular patterns and odd harmonic structure has been difficult for me to play it thru without mistakes.
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Jack Stewart This etude sounds really similar to the study in b minor (Op.35 No.22), which I'm currently working on. Very well played
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Jack Stewart great discovery Jack! As Nijwm said this etude shares some patterns and harmonic progressions similar to Op35#22. I'm in the same boat than you, some music takes time to ingest and find the right path musically while being technically simple or easy, but in the end that's not the technical part to communicates to people.
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Jack Stewart Excellent, Jack! I do really like this study, too. Like Nijwm said, it's similar to the more famous Op 35 No 22, but not played nearly as often, which I like.
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Jack Stewart I’ve never heard this before. It’s lovely, and I agree with Nijwm- very similar in both right hand patterns and harmony to Study 5 (Segovia). Thanks for sharing!
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Jack Stewart Very nice Jack. This is an interesting piece that includes several difficult passages. You are doing well and will master it soon.
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary , Blaise Laflamme , Eric Phillips , Marilyn Blodget ,
I do recognize the similarities between Op. 35.22 and Op. 31.18. In fact, after the comments
i looked closely at each and was surprised that they were so similar. Nonetheless I find their character quite different. To me, Op. 35.22 is very melancholic and perhaps pensive, whereas I feel Op.31.18 is more one of anguish. I think Op.31.18 is much more daring harmonically. The second section is almost entirely an extended dominant function utilizing a series of diminished and diminished 7 chords, sometimes without immediate resolution. There are several moments where I am startled by the harmonic movement. Op. 35.22 is much more in the standard harmonic useage. I think that Op. 35.22 is more beautiful (especially in Nijwm's performance) but I am drawn to the dramatic harmonic structure of Op.31.18 (despite my performance
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary Thanks, Nijwm.
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Blaise Laflamme Thanks Blaise.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric.
You like that it is not played as often?
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Marilyn Blodget Thanks Marilyn.
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Andre Bernier Thanks Andre.
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Jack Stewart I do. I am much more drawn to the less-often-played works in the repertoire. It probably comes from some psychological need to be special or different.
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Eric Phillips you already are special and different!
But I understand you, I also like to play less-known music to help broaden musical perspective. Also I'm less inclined to record something that I have nothing different to express and present than what already exists. -
Jack Stewart well, Op.31#18 has probably less-predictable harmony progressions than Op.35#22 and that's what makes it very interesting. Thanks a lot for bringing it to the challenge!
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Last minute submission. Not sure if this one's better than previous ones. Learning the guitar is not always a linear progression for me. Sometimes it's one step ahead, one step back. Still lots to work on- chord shifts, more relaxation and less pressure on LH fingers, tone, colour etc.
Thank you everyone here in the forum who're incredibly kind and generous with comments, advice and encouragement. After all, it's because of all of us that we're here,
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary Lovely! That’s real progress, Nijwm. This is a jewel you can enjoy for years!
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Marilyn Blodget thank you
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary I agree with Marilyn. You made great progress during this challenge. Bravo
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