WEEK 1: Exploring Sor's Music!

Martin,

Count me in.  I'd like to work on a Sor piece I've always wanted to learn - Andante
from 6 Petites Pieces Faciles, Op. 45. I will plan to get an initial video up of the first 15 measures by this weekend. Until then, let me reference my video of Sor's Fantasie "Les Adieux" which is up on the Sor mini challenge from 5 months ago. I'm playing it in a recital next week! We can never have to many challenges from Maestro Sor! https://guitar-community.tonebase.co/profile/36r55l

Here is day one with Andante from Op. 45, No. 5.  I'll try to remember to turn off the metronome when speaking next time!

Thanks David! Yes, I was fortunate to remodel a small rectangular room in our basement with no windows (good for audio recording) and add some acoustic treatment on the walls.  I have 5 different classical models I have collected over the years.  My primary rotation is between a 640 Michael Thames, a 640 Marcus Dominelli (in this video), and a 650 Marcus Dominelli. All cedar double tops.  Oh, and there's a Les Paul Standard 50's, model in one of those cases!

Fantasie Elegiaque Op 59 Nov 7

Okay, when I got an email inviting me to join this challenge, I just could not resist. And so it is with more than a little fear and trembling that I have started working on this monumental piece of music, knowing full well that I will not finish working on it by the end of this challenge (if I ever finish at all).  It’s all about the journey, though, right?

This piece is dedicated to Madame Charlotte Beslay, who had been a student of Sor’s, but who died in childbirth in 1835, less than a year before Sor wrote the piece. It is widely suspected that Sor was in love with her. It is one of Sor’s last pieces, as he himself died in 1839.

With a piece this size (it generally lasts between 15-20 minutes, depending upon the tempo) dividing it into sections is vital. Sor himself has already divided it into two parts: an Andante Largo and a Marche Funebre. For now, I will only be considering the Andante Largo.

Carlo Marchione has a video lesson here on TB in which he divides the Andante Largo into five sections, and I really like his breakdown. He says that it follows the five parts of a “grave speech” according to the rhetorical norms of Sor’s time. Here is my best understanding of the five parts:

1.       Measures 1-34 Introduction. Here the announcement is made that the person is dead, and this section expresses universal mourning for the dead person. Notice the descending chromaticism and the rhythmical “heartbeats” in this section.

2.       Measures 35-50 Personal Lament. Here the individual giving the speech expresses his grief over the dead person. The music here is like a deeply sorrowful aria. Marchione likes to play this section somewhat piano.

3.       Measures 51-66 More intense despair. The individual giving the speech now expresses grief with even more powerful emotion. Musically, Sor repeats the material from the previous section, but with more ornamentation that suggests deeper emotion. Marchione likes to play this section more forte.

4.       Measures 67-107 Consolation. The person giving the speech now begins to express a bit of hope, albeit still tinged with sadness. Musically, Sor changes the key to G major. There are still several dark harmonies and chromaticism, however, that make it clear that the happiness is still a bit false, like a mask.

5.       Measures 108-134 Conclusion. Like the introduction, this section of the speech expresses more universal lament. Musically, there are several similarities between this section and the first section, most notably the triplets.

Here is an initial video with just the first section, measures 1-34. An unfingered score is attached.