Fantaisie villageoise, op. 52

This Fantaisie villageoise op. 52 by Sor is an impressionistic piece with the gaiety of a village dance, first published in Paris in about 1832. Sor performed it in his last known benefit concert, on April 24th 1836. The Revue et Gazette Musicale de Paris (III, 1836, p. 136) reported: “L’auditoire se composait principalement d’Espagnols accourus pour applaudir un artiste compatriote et un instrument national” (‘The audience consisted principally of Spaniards come to applaud their countryman and a national instrument’), and “On a distingué une fantaisie villageoise [op. 52], composé et exécuté par le bénéficiaire, et un duo de guitare entre lui et son émule, M. Aguado” (‘There was a Fantaisie villageoise, composed and played by the beneficiary, and a guitar duet, played by him and his disciple M. Aguado’). See my book Fernando Sor, Composer and Guitarist, chapter 5. Two interesting technical effects are used which are rare in Sor’s work. In the section headed “Prière”, a melody is played on two strings in unison. And towards the end of the piece, again and again a harmonic is used at the sixth fret. There is no doubt whatsoever that it is indeed at the sixth fret, however unusual that may be on the guitar, because it occurs so many times, The effect seems to be that of distant church bells. Because of these technical effects and the precise instructions which or has given, the full effect of this work in performance can be obtained only by following those instructions to the letter. In the Danse, bar 167, in the second chord, the lowest note is G in the original edition and has here been amended. At bars 203-7 the indication “har” for harmonic is given in the original edition, but no figure to indicate which harmonic is intended. I have guessed 5. This edition comes from the new 2019 second edition of Sor’s New Complete Works for Guitar edited by Brian Jeffery. The Introduction and Index to the entire series are here in nkoda. This new edition is copyright © by Brian Jeffery 2019. Your cooperation is requested in not making illegal copies for other people. Brian Jeffery