The ballet Cinderella, composed by Fernando Sor, achieved over one hundred performances during his lifetime, marking a peak of his success in London. Born in Barcelona in 1778, Sor spent his career as a performer and composer, leaving a legacy of didactic guitar music that remains a staple of the instrument's classical repertoire two centuries later.
Early Musical Foundations
Baptized as José Fernando Macario Sors, the composer grew up in a family of soldiers. Despite parental pressure to pursue military or administrative paths, he displayed an early aptitude for music. He invented his own notation system before receiving formal instruction. A brief period at the choir school of Santa Maria de Montserrat provided him with foundational training, though he was later placed in a military academy for four years. During his military service, he continued to compose and play music.
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In 1808, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain, leading Sor to compose nationalistic music and serve in military bands. He eventually held an administrative post under the occupying government, which earned him the label of afrancesado. Following the French retreat in 1813, he fled to Paris to avoid retribution. He later sought opportunities in London in 1815, where he transitioned from opera toward composing ballet music, eventually moving to Moscow in 1823 with his wife, the ballerina Félicité Hullin.
Compositional Legacy and Technique
Sor is identified as a virtuoso who championed the smaller, slimmer Romantic guitar rather than modern standards. He famously eschewed the use of nails on his plucking hand and rarely utilized the ring finger for melody. His pedagogical works, including Twelve Studies Op. 6 and the Progressive Lessons Op. 31, were designed for players of varying skill levels. In his final years back in Paris, he grew bitter regarding public demand for simple music, evident in the sarcastic dedications of his later opuses.
Fast facts
- Born: 1778, Barcelona
- Died: 1839, Paris
- Burial place: Montmartre Cemetery
- Primary instrument: Classical guitar
- Key work: Cinderella (ballet)
- Movement: Romanticism
- Citizenship: Spain
Questions readers ask
What was Fernando Sor's playing style?
He played on smaller Romantic-era guitars, avoided using his fingernails, and rarely used the ring finger of his plucking hand.
Why did Sor leave Spain?
He left in 1813 as an afrancesado after the French were repelled from Spain, fearing retribution for his association with the occupying government.
Achievements
- Instruments: violin, classical guitar and piano
- Genres: classical music
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