Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829Le Premier Pas Vers Moi Op. 53 ‘The original edition of this duet bears the curious dedication “to those who, having earned to play this instrument, see the great difficulties for which correction is the only remedy.” When taken in conjunction with the title, The First Step Towards Me, one must assume that Sor wished to encourage his students to work on their deficiencies as a first move toward the mastery that he possessed. The original was fully fingered, and it has only been necessary to add an occasional clarification. [D This fingering is somewhat controversial at the present time; the alternative viewpoint would call for the use of the 3rd finger where the 2nd is used in this measure, The notes indicate the string on which the natural harmonic is to be played, and the numbers indicate the fret. The 3rd fret harmonic is weak, but possible if the right hand plays close to the bridge. The harmonic 9 is a correction of a 3 in the.original—an error. (Gl AM but the first note of the group should be slurred together @ This passage is easy to play when the fingering is understood, and has a pleasant belblike sound. Diagram from Sor's Méthode showing the little finger braced against the guitar atin Aguado's method. 74Le Premier Pas Vers Moi Op. 53 Guitar 1Ssigtpar sett POT Sey see itisetiey Ft 4 gars ir 242g 2iasg 76Harmonics tee Nt 78 Harmonicses 4 3 2,Study In E Minor First published in 1820, this favorite study was reprinted in Aguado’s instruction method. It presents some challenge, but is musically attractive and well worth the effort. Aguado’s ~ fingering indicates that he had a remarkable capacity to stretch the left hand, and some of his demands are impossible on the larger fingerboard of present times. One such demand has been simplified, as explained in note 2 below. this fingering is difficult, but comes with practise. With the 4th and Ist fingers in position the 3rd must be pushed into place. @ Aguado fingered this measure with a bar at the third fret, considered virtually impos- sible on the modern guitar. @ The second and fourth fingers must remain firmly on the D and G from the previous beat. Suggested tempo is J = 69. Ayenta un wongile yanmmentade. its ca eS. Revio Sot PARISore i8) 1784 ee —_ 4mStudy In A Minor ‘This study first appeared in Aguado’s Escuela de Guitarra in 1825. It serves as an attrac- tive performance piece as well as being an excellent exercise for the left hand. The sparse fingering of the original has been filled out for this edition. © Original:— . = 2 In the original the bass C was a whole note—possible if this measure is taken in the eighth position, but Iam more inclined to believe it an error. The jump of the 3rd finger from the A in the preceding measure to the bass G is extremely awkward, but there seems 10 be no logical alternative. The 4th finger move is from the original edition. In place of 2nd and 1st fingers the original gives 3rd and 2nd, assumed to be an error. Original:— ©) The original gives the a fa for the bass Bb. Suggested tempo is 85Study In A Minor88Polonaise Concertante Op. 137 No. 2 Opus 137, consisting of three Polonesi Concertanti in two movements was published by G. Ricordi of Milan some seven years after Giuliani's death. They were not fingered, but lie very naturally on the fingerboard and make few technical demands on the players. (©) The half bar is not strictly necessary but may help some players with this measure which requires special practise. GD Iris important to bar the EF tn preparation for the move to the second position bar in the next measure. Suggested tempois J =72. Allegretto, Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829)9092Minuet And Rondo From The Grand Sonata Op. 22 Sor dedicated his Grand Sonata to the “Prince of Peace”, title given to Manuel Godoy, the powerful and controversial political figure elevated to prominence by Queen Maria Luisa of Spain. It has enjoyed considerable popularity over the years, in particular the final movements printed below. ‘The original was not fingered, so all suggestions are editorial (D The sixteenth note group is sometimes played with a single slur; however, the original edition is quite specific in requiring two slurs throughout. The cross-fingering may seem strange but works well at tempo. DA hard stretch, but there is no alternative that permits the bass quarter-notes to be ‘sustained. 939697Andante Largo Op. 5 No. 5 Sor's title to Opus 5, Six Very Easy Little Pieces, might be contested by those who perform the famous Andante Largo as a concert solo. It is a most effective piece, and if not “very easy” at least not very difficult. There is only occasional fingering in the original. [1] There is no fingering for the first line, s0 the positions are only a suggestion. [@] Although somewhat awkward this fingering is essential if the bass chord is to sustain for its full value. The slurs are editorial, the original giving only the phrasing. (© Me only way to sustain the high A is to take it with the 2nd finger. If played with the Ist finger the note value must be “implied.” a © There is no practical way to sustain the quarter-note F. On the smaller fingerboard of Sor's time it was probably taken with the 3rd finger. Suggested tempo J) = 6. Hand movement dlagsam ftom Sor's Méthode. 98Andante Op. 5 No. 5 Fernando Sor 99Variations In Tremolo From Op. 21 Regondi achieved early fame as a child prodigy, and had performed in most European capitals by the age of nine. Sor composed a fantasy (Souvenir D'Amitié Op. 46) expressly for him, which may be taken as a considerable tribute to his ability is compositions are few, the one below being an extract from a lengthy Theme and Variations. \t is interesting as one of the first examples of the use of tremolo technique in the nineteenth century. The writing of the bass line is somewhat unusual, in that some of the notes overlap others forming, in effect, extra voices, As a practical solution, I suggest first playing the thumb part without the tremolo, taking care to give each note its correct value The fingering is editorial. The unusual fingering is necessary if the bass F is to sustain. I would suggest placing the complete E chord at this point. All three note chords should be played with p, i and m, Suggested tempo J = 46, ‘Giulio Regondi in 1841; portrait by Viennese lithographer Josef Kriehuber. 101Variations In Tremolo From Op. 21 Giulio Regondi (1822-1872) 4 ayes 2 ® 102al “An Die Musik Op. 88 No. 4 Although An Die Musik was not published with a guitar accompaniment as were so many of Schubert's songs, the structure of the piano part is so guitaristic that it is a pleasure to play this great favorite on the instrument with which it was probably originally conceived. (See Introduction p.8 ). Pranz Schubert 105Voice Guitar hol - de Kunst, Of hat ein Seuf hast du den Himde Kunst, ich dan - ke dir da - fiir, du hol- de + mer Lieb! ent - zun- den, - ten mir er - — schlos- sen, ne bess’ re Welt ent - rilckt, in re Welt—— ent - riickt! ich dan - ke dir! ci - neVariations On A Theme Of G. F. Handel Op. 107 This famous Handel theme with accompanying variations was published in 1720 as the concluding movement of a suite. It became known as the Harmonious Blacksmith, though this title first appeared nearly a hundred years after the original publication, and its origin is still unknown, The variations in this setting do not follow those of Handel and are Giuliani's own composition. In a number of places Giuliani appears to have written sustained notes which may not have been truly intended. In this case if the E is to sustain an alternative fingering would be:— 2 ¥ 7 r © ©) See note 1. To sustain the bass A would require over-complex fingering, which I feel ‘was probably not the intention. @ It is obviously impossible both to slur the bass A to the C# and to sustain it. I have siven priority to the slur. Giuliani’s tempo marking is J = 88. posi) (1781-1829) wats s os 4o-- z: 108Variation 1a tempo Se vu a 110Pilar TIGR ety rar ee ee nee y Meer fl. Re fv ork yp Bk TY pave 77D yiilr pee TT otra arr 7 ret a9 ; ve, See eT ig el le FIM Fraqr utVariation V Minore sostenuto é eo fey x 2 p c oe eer a : crese: ARTA fempo ate UV ene 4 WV eceeeeee eee 1Variation VIFantasy Op. 7 A letter to the Giulianiad magazine (published 1833-35) defending Sor to a readership mainly of Giuliani fans cited this Fantasy as a demonstration of Sor’s superior ability as a composer. It is certainly one of his most appealing works, beautifully recorded by Julian Bream, (RCA LSC-2878). In the original, the largo is followed by a theme and variations. The fingering is editorial. The extended eighth position bar is tiring until the passage is memorized and played up to tempo. The change of position is suggested in preparation for what follows, An extreme stretch, but possible with practise. ( For the trill I would suggest a simple Bb—C-BB (i.e., a reverse mordent) with a similar treatment for those which follow. J lrenfani fore Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Largo non tanto 14festa pyre at 3S 7 ey 116Variations On La Folia And Minuet Op. 15 The theme of La Folia (Les Folies d’Espagne) was a favorite one as the basis for variations from the 17th century onwards, and it was used by Corelli and Handel as well as the guitarists Robert de Visée and Gaspar Sanz. Sor’s version, Opus 15, was followed by a minuet in the major key possibly intended to be performed after the final variation and for this reason included here. ‘The fingering is editorial (©) The slurred notes sounded simultaneously with plucked chords are unusual but do ‘occur occasionally in the music of this period. Obviously the slur must be performed very clearly so that the second note has sufficient volume. In the original edition there were no slurs in the fourth variation. At times the decision to add slurs appears to have been left up to the player, and those included in this edition should be considered only suggestions. This is a problem passage, but if the bass notes are to sustain as written there is no alternative fingering. The fingering of the triplets is that of the composer. Sturs omitted in the original publication. Suggested tempo J = 80 A. figure in the Minuet; from an engraving published in 1738 in Kellom Tomlinson’s The Art of Dancing. Dance notation used in the Feullet system appears on the floor. 17Variations On La Folia And Minuet Op. 15 Femando Sor Theme 4 ad | idad tad 2 J -45) of 0 Vopr © OF hip e Om Re Variation 1 yow--y @ u---4 2 ahs ig-id 1 4 lo 7 for Pix 7 118Variation I‘Variation IV Do = 4, 1 - 4) a 120Grand Overture Op. 61 ‘The Grand Overture is one of Giuliani's most dramatic and brilliant compositions. A fine recording of the work is that of Julian Bream (RCA LSC-3070), Although considerable technique is necessary to play the piece up to tempo, it is never- theless very straightforward and idiomatic to the instrument and presents few unusual difficulties. (The bass F# quarter-note in the original is impossible, and is here corrected to an eighth-note. @ An alternative to this difficult change is:— This passage could be taken on a fourth position bar, but done that way itis harder to eliminate the over-ring of the E chord when the D# is played. Suggested tempos, Andante sostenuto. = 66, Allegro maestoso J) = 104Grand Overture Op. 61 Mauro Giuliani Andante sostenuto ay, ww te123et Ve ea ie wt126129130132SWI 133, SoHGrand Solo Op. 14 This major work of Fernando Sor has suffered from a series of irresponsibly edited “revisions” in which chords have been radically changed or simplified, passages omitted, and other alterations made to suit the whim of the “‘reviser”. In these circumstances it is hoped that the inclusion of this piece in its original form will help those who wish to play what the composer wrote rather than what some editor “feels” that he should have written, ‘The suggested fingerings are editorial. Original:— D Im view of the staccato marking on the D, the sign here is presumably one of phrasing and not a slur. © Players may wish to finger this passage another way to avoid the extreme stretch. However the slurring implies that it was done in this position, and overall it seems the ‘most satisfactory. In spite of the extra note in the chord (low FH) it may be assumed that the intention here is the same arpeggio that is spelled out eight bars ahead where the passage is repeated. ]@ A double stur: 3rd and 4th fingers both pull off to sound the A# and F#. © The Ist finger should be in bar position but with the tip raised so that the open D ‘may sound. i Suggested tempos, Introduction J) = 72, Allegro J = 104. 134Grand Solo Op. 14 Introduction Fernando Sor (ere Dee = ‘ 3 poh ti il epee SS a as it <=! ~All ~ of1364. sh yo yo Oe a 3 ody y Yetd ete, PAT set, Gre oir eesee -EE OS = oe =, eo Bodyt se dy saw dy a== ee 138Sanaa, a ae le t t ra t rt Fes re Spe er ee ee aoe i res ried Bee ft ra edge ee) A id bez aan ddd pad de, a ti c ‘id dd ee “vn LEtrener ELer eter Becrecer eter ceer J gid 4 ceerce|er geereeer ererecer erer coer J 140ay — eo smorz. poco a poco142143