À la bonne heure, six waltzes, Op. 51

This work, À la bonne heure, six waltzes, op. 51 by Sor, was first published in Paris in about 1832. For a discussion of the context of this work, see the notes to op. 48 in this edition. The title means “At last!”. A preface at the beginning of this work reads as follows: Messieurs, Mon oeuvre 48 est une preuve du désir qui m’anime de satisfaire les vôtres. J’espérais avoir réussi, mais des observations très judicieuses faites par des connoisseurs ont détruit mon illusion. D’abord cette musique ne ressemble du tout à la mienne, et il s’agissait de faire de ma musique avec des basses dans le genre de celles qui vous sont plus familières (cette tâche est plus difficile à remplir qu’elle ne paraît l’être), quoique mon ouvrage soit dans le style auquel vous êtes accoutumés il n’est pas encore assez facile pour que ceux qui n’ont pas le temps ni l’envie d’étudier puissent la jouer sans se creuser la tête à chercher le doigté ni fatiguer leurs doigts à exercer les passages. J’ai senti la force de ces observations que j’aurais peut-etre jadis regardé comme des réflexions d’éditeur qui ne vise qu’à la vente; mais devenu éditeur moi-même j’y ai trouvé une solidité que je n’y aurais pas trouvée autrefois. J’ai donc essayé de vous contenter en composant les six valses que j’ai l’honneur de vous offrir. J’ai tâché de n’employer que des positions que je crois les plus usitées: j’ai profité des cordes à vide autant qu’il m’a été possible pour les basses: j’ai mis presque autant de numéros que de notes: enfin: j’ai fait tout ce qu’il fallait. Aussi m’ont-ils dit que j’suis ben genti, c’est-à-dire; qu’un de vous en voyant mes deux premières valses s’est écrié A LA BONNE HEURE! Cette exclamation a tellement flatté mon amourpropre que je l’ai donné pour titre à mon ouvrage: puisse votre approbation en assurer le succès. Veuillez bien agréer, Messieurs, le témoignage du respect le plus profond avec lequel j’ai l’honneur d’être Votre très humble serviteur Ferdinand Sor. (‘Sirs, My op. 48 is a proof of the desire which spurs me on to satisfy your desires. 1 had hoped that I had succeeded, but some very judicious observations made by some connoisseurs have destroyed my belief. First of all (they say), that music (op. 48) does not at all resemble my style of music, and what was needed was for me to compose music in my style but using basses of the kind which are more familiar to you (that task is more difficult to fulfil than it seems); and although my work is indeed in the style to which you are accustomed, it is still not so easy the those who do not have the time or the wish to study can play it without fatiguing their head in looking for the fingering or tiring their fingers in practising the passages. I have felt the force of these observations which in the past I would perhaps have regarded as the thoughts of a publisher aiming at nothing but sales; but now that I have myself become a publisher I have found a solidity in them which I would not previously have found. I have therefore tried to content you by composing the six waltzes which I now have the honour to offer to you. I have tried to use only the positions which I believe to be the most common; I have made use of the open strings as far as possible for the basses; I have put almost as many fingering numbers as there are notes; in short, have done everything that was needed. And so they said to me that that’s very nice of you! That is to say that one of you, on seeing my first two waltzes cried out: AT LAST! That exclamation flattered my self-esteem so much that I have given it to my work as its title: may your approval bring about its success. Please believe, Sirs, the deepest respect with which I have the honour to be Your very humble servant Ferdinand Sor) 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