Theme and Variations, op. 3

Sor’s Theme and variations [op. 3] were first published in Paris by the expatriate Spaniard Salvador Castro de Gistau in his Journal de Musique Étrangère (Paris, c. 1804-10?), which means that this work was evidently composed in Spain. It has a good deal of fire to it, and evidently became popular, for another French edition appeared in about 1816, put out by Meissonnier, with a minuet added. In Castro the work has the title Air Varié, and in Meissonnier Thema Varié. There are interesting differences between the two editions, and it may well be that Castro’s edition preserves more of the flavour of the piece as it was originally composed in Spain, especially in its more florid ornamentation. The minuet which Meissonnier added is also found in a manuscript of the time in a version for keyboard (see the bibliography in my book Fernando Sor Composer and Guitarist). Because of the considerable differences between the two editions we have given both versions here: the first version is Castro’s, and the second Meissonnier’s. It should be noted that it is not known whether Sor had anything to do with Meissonnier’s version; indeed, there is no particular reason to think that he did. It is more than possible that it was not Sor but Meissonnier or another person who prepared the version which is given in second place here. No opus number was given by Castro, nor doubtless originally by Meissonnier; the opus number 3 appears only in later Meissonnier issues. Castro’s Journal de Musique Étrangère is undated and is difficult to date. Until now I have assumed that it dates from about 1810. However, interesting new light on this has been cast by Luis Briso de Montiano in his book Un fondo desconocido de música para guitarra (Madrid, 1995), in which he points out (on page 141) that some pages were engraved by an engraver, Michot, whose work is only recorded up to 1804. Whatever the date, Castro’s edition of op. 3 doubtless derives from a Spanish source. The work was later adapted to become Sor’s op. 12, dedicated to Kalkbrenner. 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